Word of the Day

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

I think you know by now that you write something using the word of the day, and then you post it in the comments.  This feature makes for some very entertaining reading, I hope you're enjoying it.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4

Bugaboo

[bə-gə-boo]Part of speech: noun

Origin: celtic, mid 18th century

• An imaginary object that inspires needless fright
• A problem that persists

Examples of Bugaboo in a sentence

• In popular culture, the bugaboo of bloodthirsty clowns rears its head every few years.
• The recurring computer virus was the bugaboo that plagued the office for weeks.

Illya's disguise was frightful, an apparition or a bugaboo to an unsuspecting observer.

Popularity Over Time

About Bugaboo

A bugaboo is an imaginary figure that strikes fear into the hearts of unsuspecting victims, and the somewhat nebulous “boogeyman” is a prime example. In fact, while the word’s exact source is unknown, one potential explanation for its origins is bugbear, a fanciful demon from the 1500s who took the form of a bear and ate children.

Did you Know?

The history of bugaboo is not entirely clear, though it's likely that it derives from the Welsh word "bogy," meaning "the devil."

Comments

[jantojones.livejournal.com]

Despite the best efforts of U.N.C.L.E., and its dedicated agents and staff, Thrush continued to be an irritating bugaboo.

[pfrye.livejournal.com]

Mr. Waverly sat and watched the sun rise over the New York skyline. He had much on his mind this morning. He had to give the Kremlin the name of the agent he selected from the several applicants they had offered. He knew that whoever he picked would face terrible stress, he'd be the bugaboo, the "Red Menace", the communist threat to the west. Not only would he have to deal with unenlightened UNCLE employees, he'd have to deal with the various intelligence agencies around the world who would look at his country of origin not his current employer. Mr. Waverly hoped Mr. Kuryakin was made of Russian steel and ice, that he could handle the coming storm.

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Illya and Napoleon were both fearless men, but it was the bugaboos they encountered that rattled their nerves now and then. It was merely because these 'unknowns' would take them down unfamiliar paths. Still, they adapted, learning to expect the unexpected whether it was against something real, or imaginary.