Definition

1. Noun:
   • An object of fear, dread, or persistent trouble: A "hobgoblin" is something that causes excessive fear or worry, often an imaginary or exaggerated source of anxiety.
   • (Folklore) A small, grotesque, and often mischievous supernatural creature: In folklore, a "hobgoblin" is a type of small, ugly creature, like a goblin or imp, known for causing playful or troublesome mischief for humans.

Examples of Usage

• As an object of fear or trouble:
  • For the cautious investor, market volatility is a constant hobgoblin.
  • The politician described his opponent's policy as a hobgoblin that would ruin the economy.
• As a folklore creature:
  • The old tales spoke of a hobgoblin that would hide tools and sour milk in the farmhouse.
  • In the story, the friendly hobgoblin helped with chores but also played pranks.

Advanced Usage

• "Hobgoblin of little minds": A famous phrase from Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay "Self-Reliance," used to criticize an excessive and foolish adherence to consistency.
  • The manager's refusal to adapt the plan was a perfect example of the hobgoblin of little minds.

Variants and Related Words

• Goblin (n): A more general term for a small, ugly, and mischievous creature of folklore.
• Bugbear (n): A source of obsessive fear, often irrational; a close synonym for the "object of dread" meaning of hobgoblin.
  • For many parents, online safety is a major bugbear.

Synonyms

• Phobia: An extreme or irrational fear.
• Bogeyman: An imaginary monster used to frighten children.
• Imp: A small, mischievous demon or sprite.

Related Phrases

• To raise a hobgoblin: To create or invoke a cause for fear or trouble.
  • The sensationalist news report raised a hobgoblin about the safety of the water supply.

Related Idioms

• A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds: An idiom derived from Emerson, meaning that unthinking adherence to consistency is the mark of a small, unimaginative intellect.
  • He changed his opinion based on new evidence, believing that a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.

Noun

1. an object of dread or apprehension
   • Germany was always a bugbear for France
   • A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds--Ralph Waldo Emerson
2. (folklore) a small grotesque supernatural creature that makes trouble for human beings