hobgoblin

American  

[hob-gob-lin] / ˈhɒbˌgɒb lɪn /

noun

1. something causing superstitious fear; a bogy.

2. a mischievous goblin.

3. Hobgoblin. Puck.

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hobgoblin British  

/ ˌhɒbˈɡɒblɪn /

noun

1. an evil or mischievous goblin

2. a bogey; bugbear

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Etymology

Origin of hobgoblin

First recorded in 1520–30; hob ² + goblin

Explanation

A hobgoblin is something you fear or dread. Public speaking is a hobgoblin for many people. So are spiders, the dark, and monsters that lurk under the bed. A hobgoblin is so scary it’s the name of a Spider-Man villain. The word has been around since the 1500s, though, and can refer to all kinds of things that scare you. It’s in this quote by the philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.” Anything that worries or disturbs you is a hobgoblin, which can also be called a bugbear.

Example Sentences

Other enduring Spider-Man characters he was involved in originating included the villainous Vulture, mobster Hammerhead and the sonic-powered Shocker, as well as the Hobgoblin, journalist Robbie Robertson and Gwen Stacy's father George Stacy.

From BBC • Jun. 14, 2023

It absolutely reeks of taking a pint of Hobgoblin back to the bar because it wasn’t tepid enough.

From The Guardian • Aug. 24, 2019

Those that Hobgoblin call you, and sweet Puck, You do their work, and they shall have good luck: Are not you he?”

From Folk-lore of Shakespeare by Thiselton-Dyer, Thomas Firminger

The Fairy Queen was 'fairer in his eye than the Nine Muses, and Hobgoblin did run away with the garland from Apollo.'

From Spenser by Church, R. W. (Richard William)

What art thou, Ghost, Hobgoblin, or walking Spirit?

From The Works of Aphra Behn, Volume II by Summers, Montague