ghoul

/gu:l/
Học thuật
Thân thiện
ghoul

A ghoul lurks in the shadowy corner of an old cemetery.

Definition

Noun: 1. An evil spirit or ghost: A ghoul is traditionally understood as a malevolent, demonic being, often from folklore, that robs graves and feeds on the dead. 2. A person who robs graves: This meaning extends to a person who steals bodies from graves, typically for illicit purposes such as selling them for dissection. 3. A person with morbid or revolting interests: Figuratively, it can describe someone who shows an unnatural or grotesque fascination with death, horror, or other disturbing subjects.

Usage and Examples
  • As an evil spirit:
    • The old tales spoke of a ghoul that haunted the cemetery at night.
    • In the story, the hero had to defeat the ghoul to lift the curse.
  • As a grave robber:
    • In the 19th century, ghouls sometimes supplied medical schools with cadavers.
    • The police arrested a man suspected of being a ghoul who had been desecrating local tombs.
  • As a person with morbid interests:
    • He's such a ghoul; he only reads true crime books about serial killers.
    • Stop being a ghoul and staring at the accident scene.
Advanced Usage
  • "Ghoul" is often used in modern contexts to criticize someone who derives pleasure from others' misfortune or who is obsessed with macabre details. It carries a strong connotation of disgust and moral judgment.
    • The tabloid reporters were accused of being ghouls, feasting on the tragedy of the celebrity's downfall.
Variants and Related Words
  • Ghoulish (adjective): Having the repulsive or morbid character of a ghoul.
    • He has a ghoulish fascination with horror movies.
    • The crime scene photos were too ghoulish for public release.
Synonyms
  • Evil spirit: demon, fiend, specter.
  • Grave robber: body snatcher, resurrectionist (historical term).
  • Morbid person: vulture, sensationalist.
Idioms and Phrases
  • While not a standalone idiom, the word "ghoul" is frequently used in the phrase "like a ghoul" to describe someone acting with morbid fascination.
    • The crowd gathered around the wreckage like ghouls.
ghoul

A ghoul lurks in the shadowy corner of an old cemetery.

Noun
  1. an evil spirit or ghost
  2. someone who takes bodies from graves and sells them for anatomical dissection

Từ đồng nghĩa

Từ gần giống

Từ chứa "ghoul"