Extremely pale, usually from fear, shock, illness, or surprise. The phrase emphasizes a dramatic loss of color from someone's face or complexion.
This simile combines two ancient associations: the paleness that accompanies fear or illness, and the traditional depiction of ghosts as pale, ethereal beings. The comparison has been used in English literature since at least the 16th century, drawing on universal beliefs about spirits being colorless or translucent.
The phrase is brilliantly self-reinforcing - ghosts are depicted as white because death drains color, and we say people look like ghosts when they turn white from fear, creating a perfect circular metaphor. It's also interesting that across cultures, supernatural beings are often described as pale or colorless, suggesting a deep human association between life and color.
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