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BUGBEAR

 - 2 dictionary results

bug⋅bear

[buhg-bair]
–noun
1. any source, real or imaginary, of needless fright or fear.
2. a persistent problem or source of annoyance.
3. Folklore. a goblin that eats up naughty children.

Origin:
1570–80; bug 2 + bear 2
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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bug·bear   (bŭg'bâr')   
n.  
  1. A bugaboo.

  2. A fearsome imaginary creature, especially one evoked to frighten children.


[Obsolete bug, hobgoblin (from Middle English bugge, perhaps from Welsh bwg) + bear2.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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