boogeyman

[ boo g-ee-man, boo-gee- ]

/ ˈbʊg iˌmæn, ˈbu gi- /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR boogeyman ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural boog·ey·men.

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a person who is especially competent to pass critical judgments in an art, particularly one of the fine arts, or in matters of taste.

a frequent or habitual visitor to a place.

a lazy person who stays in bed long after the usual time for arising.

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Origin of boogeyman

First recorded in 1840–50; variant of bogyman

Words nearby boogeyman

boodle, boofhead, boofy, booger, boogerman, boogeyman, boogie, boogie board, boogie-woogie, boogieman, boohai

Definition for boogeyman (2 of 2)

bogeyman

or bo·gy·man, boog·er·man, boog·ey·man, boog·ie·man

[ boo g-ee-man, boh-gee-, boo- ]

/ ˈbʊg iˌmæn, ˈboʊ gi-, ˈbu- /

noun, plural bo·gey·men.

an imaginary evil character of supernatural powers, especially a mythical hobgoblin supposed to carry off naughty children.

Origin of bogeyman

1885–90; bogey¹ (variant of bogy¹, in the sense “a hobgoblin, evil spirit”) + man¹

Example sentences from the Web for boogeyman

Are you curious, as I am, to know the literal meaning of the word or phrase Griswold translated as “boogeyman”?
Beauty and Subversion in the Secret Poems of Afghan Women|Daniel Bosch|April 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The news quickly took Washington by storm, earning Cantor the nickname the “boogeyman.”
John Boehner’s Holiday Photo Snub & More Petty Political Moments|Abby Haglage|December 5, 2012|DAILY BEAST
So, every story in Night Shift, especially “The Boogeyman” and “I Am the Doorway”—was huge for me.
Gillian Flynn: How I Write|Noah Charney|November 21, 2012|DAILY BEAST
He was generally considered the number one fighter in the game, going by the nickname of The Boogeyman.
Derek Boogaard: The Player Hockey Hooked by Feeding Him Painkillers|Buzz Bissinger|June 7, 2012|DAILY BEAST

Now that we are in the run of the play, our stage manager has the crystal backstage to ward off the boogeyman.
Cynthia Nixon on Bisexuality & Her New Role in ‘Wit’|Kevin Sessums|January 24, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Now that we knew Oswalds you know they really think we are boogeyman or something.
Warren Commission (9 of 26): Hearings Vol. IX (of 15)|The President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy

British Dictionary definitions for boogeyman