bogeyman
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A frightening imaginary creature: A bogeyman is a mythical monster or frightening figure, often used by adults to scare children into good behavior. The specific appearance and nature of the bogeyman vary across cultures. 2. A source of fear or anxiety: By extension, "bogeyman" can refer to any person or thing that is perceived as a terrifying threat, often in an exaggerated or irrational way.
Usage Examples
- As an imaginary monster:
- Parents sometimes warn their children that the bogeyman will come if they don't go to sleep.
- The story described a bogeyman who lived in the dark forest.
- As a source of fear:
- In the debate, each candidate tried to portray the other as an economic bogeyman.
- For some people, new technology is just a bogeyman they don't understand.
Advanced Usage
- "to be a bogeyman for someone/something": To serve as the primary feared opponent or threat.
- That team has been a bogeyman for our club for years; we always seem to lose to them.
- Conceptual use: The term is often used in political or social commentary to describe a scapegoat or an inflated threat.
- The article argued that the media was creating a bogeyman out of the proposed policy changes.
Variants and Related Words
- Bogey (noun): Can be a synonym for bogeyman, especially in British English. Also has other meanings (e.g., a score in golf, a mucus from the nose).
- Boogeyman: A common alternative spelling.
- Bugbear (noun): A similar concept—a source of obsessive fear, irritation, or dread.
Synonyms
- Bugaboo: A cause of fear or distress.
- Goblin: A mischievous, ugly creature from folklore.
- Specter: A ghost or a haunting source of terror.
- Phantom: A ghost or an apparition; something elusive or unreal.
Idioms and Phrases
- "The bogeyman in the closet/under the bed": A common phrase referring to the childish fear of a monster hiding in one's room.
- The little boy was convinced there was a bogeyman in the closet.
Noun
- an imaginary monster used to frighten children