English noun: bugbear | |||
1. | bugbear (person) an imaginary monster used to frighten children | ||
Synonyms | bogeyman, booger, boogeyman, bugaboo | ||
Broader (hypernym) | monster | ||
2. | bugbear (cognition) an object of dread or apprehension | ||
Samples | Germany was always a bugbear for France. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. | ||
Synonyms | hobgoblin | ||
Broader (hypernym) | object | ||