bullbeggar

bullbeggar
   In North Country and West Country dialects, a term for any frightening supernatural figure. In Reginald *Scot's The Discoverie of Witchcraft (1584), it comes at the head of a mixed list of scary creatures: 'Our mothers' maids have so fraied us with bull beggers, spirits, witches, urchins, elves . . . and other such bugs that we are afraid of our owne shadowes' (p. 153).

A Dictionary of English folklore. . 2014.

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  • Bullbeggar — Bull beg gar, n. Something used or suggested to produce terror, as in children or persons of weak mind; a bugbear. [1913 Webster] And being an ill looked fellow, he has a pension from the church wardens for being bullbeggar to all the forward… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • bullbeggar — bull·beg·gar …   English syllables

  • bullbeggar — ˈbu̇lˌbegə(r) noun Etymology: perhaps blend of obsolete English bullbear (alteration of bugbear) + beggar, by folk etymology from boggard, boggart dialect Britain : goblin, bugbear …   Useful english dictionary

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