ostrichism

Noun

ostrichism (uncountable)

1. The act of hiding, often unsuccessfully, by ducking one's head out of view.
   • After a short delay, during which several aristocratic carriages rolled by—at which periods the Marquess adopted the celebrated system of ostrichism, and hid his head—the omnibus rattled on towards town.1833, [Theodore Edward Hook], chapter XII, in Love and Pride. … In Three Volumes, volume III, London: Printed for Whittaker & Co., […], →OCLC, page 236
   • In a second, we all three fell back on the roof of the coach, hiding our faces with our hands, and committing that gross act of ostrichism of fancying, because we could not see that we escaped observation.1841 May, Lord William [Pitt] Lennox, “The Westminster Boy”, in Craven [pseudonym; John William Carleton], editor, The Sporting Review. A Monthly Chronicle of the Turf, the Chase, and Rural Sports in...
2. (derogatory) A policy of burying one's head in the sand, that is, ignoring the reality of a situation.
   • [Torpey] had, upon the principles of ostrichism, sewn up a valuable diamond in the waistband of his trousers, which he fondly intended for his fond and loving wife; and accomplice in his crimes; […]1871 May 3, Unknown, “The Torpey Case”, in Public Opinion: A Comprehensive Summary of the Press throughout the World on All Important Current Topics, volume XIX, number 502, London, published 6 May...
   • First let us have no ostrichism in our preparations against an invasion of this island. There are still some who scorn the idea. Can [Adolf] Hitler succeed where Napoleon failed? No, they say, the Channel is impregnable. We would do better to prepare for the worst.1940 May 24, “Ostrichism”, in The Evening Standard, London; quoted in Tracy Groot, chapter 16, in Kathryn S. Olson, editor, Maggie Bright: A Novel of Dunkirk, Carol Stream, Ill.: Tyndale House...