query - laser-focused

[Jesse Sheidlower]

> From one of the umpteen Enron articles, "The key to understanding its
> collapse is contained in its annual report for 2000. The company, the
> report says, "is laser-focused on earnings per share (EPS), and we expect
> to continue strong earnings performance."
>
> I am assuming it means being focused upon something as a laser would focus
> on a target - giving it more emphasis than merely "focusing." But, I need
> proof. Anyone know of any?

This seems to be a very common expression, and we have a lot of examples
at hand--

1996 S.F. Chronicle 26 Feb., After 22 visits to California --
including a two-day trip yesterday and today -- the president is
"laser-focused" on California, Mulholland said.

1996 Economist 16 Nov., Web surfing is a laser-focused process of
picking exactly what you want, when you want it.

2001 N.Y. Times Mag. 18 Nov., How many college students, laser-focused
on landing a job on Wall Street or a slot in law school, want to put
their G.P.A.'s at risk by studying, say, Urdu?

to pick only a few.

Jesse Sheidlower
OED