A giant of heathen mythology; in medieval times, often, the devil, a demon; later, a goblin or hobgoblin of rustic superstition.

An evil, malicious, or mischievous spirit or demon of popular belief. Now rare (Scottish and English regional in later use).

A malevolent spirit or demon, a ‘bugbear’ or bogey. Now historical and rare.

A small, ugly, gnome-like creature of folklore, fairy tales, and fantasy fiction; in early use considered as malevolent or demonic, in later use…

In hurlewaynes kin, hurlewaynes meyne, supposed to be the same as French maisnie Hellequin, medieval Latin familia Harlequini (see harlequin, n.)…

= Robin Goodfellow or Puck; a hobgoblin, sprite, elf. (See also hob-thrush, n.)

A phantom causing fright; a goblin, bogy, or spectre of the night; an undefined creature of superstitious dread. (Usually supposed to be black…

figurative with reference to the terrible character, the unreality, or the incongruous composition… A horrible and fear-inspiring phantasm, a bogy.

A mischievous, tricksy imp or sprite; another name for Puck or Robin Goodfellow; hence, a terrifying apparition, a bogy.

Name of a mischievous spirit (Jamieson).

an imaginary, evil creature intended to frighten children; cf. bugbear, n. 2.

A spectre, goblin, or bogy; in dialectal use, esp. a local goblin or sprite supposed to ‘haunt’ a particular gloomy spot, or scene of violence.

An imaginary evil spirit or creature said to devour naughty children; a bogeyman. Now somewhat rare.

In classical mythology: a female demon or evil spirit associated with the goddess Hecate, supposed to eat humans and to be capable of appearing in…

A little puck or demon; an imp.

a bugbear, a malevolent spectre.

spec. A ‘child’ of the devil, or of hell. Hence, with omission of the qualification: A little devil or demon, an evil spirit; esp. in 17th cent., one…

A goblin or elf. (From the supposition that they occasionally assumed the form of a hedgehog.)

A thing fit only to frighten a baby. Cf. scare-babe, n.

A goblin: see quots. Now dialect.

A bug-bear or hobgoblin.

Roman Mythology A sprite, hobgoblin. Obsolete.

A hobgoblin, a mischievous sprite; a demon, a devil. Now chiefly in Old Poker: the Devil, Satan. Cf. Tom Poker n. at Tom, n.1 compounds 1b(b).

= bogle, n.

An imaginary monster, esp. one invoked to frighten children; a hobgoblin. Also in extended use.

A kind of goblin. Obsolete. rare.

= mormo, n.

An imaginary evil spirit or creature; a bogeyman. rare.

A small demon or imp; a sprite; a puck (puck, n.1). Obsolete.

regional and colloquial. An evil spirit; the devil. Also: a bogeyman invoked to frighten children.

? A phantom, goblin.

(the name of) a bogeyman or bugbear, typically invoked to frighten children.

In the folklore of Spain, Portugal, Latin America, and the Philippines: a supernatural being or spirit, typically short in stature and resembling…

An imaginary evil or frightening spirit or creature; a spectre, a phantom; a bogeyman.

A scarecrow; a hobgoblin. Also transferred a person of frightful or unprepossessing appearance.

A bogy, hobgoblin.

(the name of) a ghost, a bogeyman; cf. Tom Poker n.

The action of fley, v.; an instance of this; hence, fright, fear. Also concrete. Something that frightens; a hobgoblin.

In Irish folklore: a malignant sprite or hobgoblin, esp. one which takes the form of an animal.

U.S. regional. A menacing supernatural creature; a goblin, bogey, or ghost.

A spirit believed to settle on a person during sleep, producing a feeling of suffocation in the sleeper. Cf. incubus, n. 1, nightmare, n. 1a.

An apparition; a bogle, an object of fear. See bolly, n.

A bogle or goblin; a person much dreaded.

Originally Scottish. A frightening supernatural creature or spirit; a ghost, hobgoblin, or bogey; a monster.

U.S. A menacing supernatural creature, esp. as invoked to frighten children; a goblin, bogey, or ghost. Cf. bogy, n.1 2 and booger, n.2 1.

= shag foal n. (b).