So frightened that one becomes unable to move or think clearly, as if turned to stone. It describes fear that causes physical and mental paralysis.
From Latin 'petra' meaning 'stone' combined with '-fy' meaning 'to make'. Originally describing the geological process of turning organic matter to stone, it metaphorically extended to describe fear-induced paralysis.
Petrification represents the 'freeze' response in our fight-flight-freeze system! When the brain determines that neither fighting nor fleeing will work, it triggers tonic immobility - literally making us stone-like to avoid detection.
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