bug-a-boo

See also: bugaboo

English

Alternative forms

bugaboo

Etymology

An earlier form was seen in buggybow, probably an alteration of bugbear (see bug), but connected by Chapman ("Dictionary of American Slang") with Bugibu, demon in the Old French poem Aliscans from 1141, which is perhaps of Celtic origin as a pagan god (compare Cornish buccaboo (“devil”), from bucca (“bogle, goblin”)). Alternatively, bug +‎ a +‎ boo. For a similar semantic development from a heathen god to demon to monster, compare etymology of French lutin.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈbʌɡəbuː/
Audio (US): (file)

Noun

bug-a-boo (plural bug-a-boos)

A mythical, nocturnal creature; a hobgoblin.
- 1776, William Kenrick, London review of English and foreign literature‎^[1], page 316:
  The German ubu, as well as the French bibou, is also used for bug-a-boo, hobgoblin, or any other fantastical, terrific nocturnal object.
Any imagined fear or threat, or a fear presumed larger than it really is.
- 1949, – George R. Stewart, Earth Abides, page 80:
  ...a fear had come upon them, and they had a kind of bug-a-boo terror about roving gangsters.
- 2008, Gerald Stanley Lee, Crowds, →ISBN, page 543:
  There is the Goody-good Bug-a-boo, the Consistency Bug-a-boo, and the Bug-a-boo that Thomas Jefferson if he were living now, would never never ride in a carriage.
  Each of these bug-a-boos in the general mistiness and muddleheadedness of the time can be seen going about, saying "Boo! Boo!" to this democracy ...
- 2020 May 27, Sam Johnson & Chris Marcil, “Collaboration” (17:32 from the start), in What We Do in the Shadows‎^[2], season 2, episode 8, spoken by Guillermo de la Cruz (Harvey Guillén):
  “Uh, Celeste? Sorry to bug. You said you were gonna start making us vampires, quote, "Hopefully within the week." And that was last week.” “Is someone talking to me right now?” “That's actually true. You did say that. And I don't want to be a bugaboo.” “Bugaboo?” “But you know what it's like for us.” “What is this, an ambush?” “Sort of, like, a timeline would mean a l-lot.” “Okay.”

Synonyms

(hostile supernatural creature): See goblin