bogy
/ˈboʊɡi/
noun
- A frightening or imaginary creature, often used to scare children.
- The old story about a bogy hiding in the closet made the kids afraid to go to bed.
- She told her little brother that a bogy would get him if he didn't clean his room.
- In some cultures, parents warn children about a bogy that lives in the forest.
- Something that causes fear or worry, often without a real basis.
- For many investors, inflation is the biggest bogy in the current economy.
- The idea of public speaking is a common bogy for people who are shy.
- He treated every small mistake as a bogy that would ruin his career.