bugaboo
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bug·a·boo
(bŭg′ə-bo͞o′)n. pl. bug·a·boos
1. An object of often obsessive fear, anxiety, or irritation: raising the bugaboo of socialism to derail a plan for national health insurance.
2. A difficult or persistent problem: "At the bottom of all these deficiencies of planning and execution ... lay that old bugaboo, lack of unity of command" (Philip B. Davidson).
[Perhaps of Celtic origin and akin to Welsh bwg, ghost.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
bugaboo
(ˈbʌɡəˌbuː)n, pl -boos
an imaginary source of fear; bugbear; bogey
[C18: probably of Celtic origin; compare Cornish buccaboo the devil]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
bug•a•boo
(ˈbʌg əˌbu)n., pl. -boos.
something that causes fear or worry; bugbear; bogy.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Noun | 1. | bugaboo - an imaginary monster used to frighten children monster - an imaginary creature usually having various human and animal parts |
2. | bugaboo - a source of concern; "the old bugaboo of inflation still bothers them" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
bugaboo
n → Schreckgespenst nt
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007