hobgoblins

[US]/'hɒbgɒblɪn/
[UK]/ˈhɑbˌɡɑblɪn/
Frequency: Very High

Translation

n. mischievous elf or goblin in folk tales; frightening creature.

Example Sentences

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.

The old house was said to be haunted by a mischievous hobgoblin.

The children were scared of the hobgoblin stories told around the campfire.

The hobgoblin cackled with glee as it played tricks on unsuspecting travelers.

Legend has it that a hobgoblin guards the hidden treasure deep in the forest.

The hobgoblin's mischievous grin gave away its intentions to cause trouble.

The villagers left offerings to appease the hobgoblin and prevent any mischief.

The hobgoblin's antics kept the townspeople on their toes, never knowing what to expect next.

Some believe that a hobgoblin is responsible for lost items around the house.

The hobgoblin's presence was felt in the eerie silence of the abandoned castle.

Despite his small stature, the hobgoblin was known for causing big trouble wherever he went.

Real-world Examples

In Scottish, bu-kow was a word for hobgoblins or any particularly terrifying creature.

Source: One Hundred Thousand Whys

But the hobgoblin saw through the pretended person.

Source: Pan Pan

'What will you give me, ' said the hobgoblin, 'to do it for you'?

Source: Grimm's Fairy Tales (Volume 1)

When she hung over the foot of their bed and outlined the work she expected them to do when they recovered, they looked at her as if she were a hobgoblin.

Source: Gone with the Wind

At last some of the men determined to find out what this strange light was-whether it was a hobgoblin dancing in the air, or something dropped from the sky.

Source: American Original Language Arts Third Volume

This conversation they are apt to run into with the same temper that boys discover in delighting to hear terrible stories of spirits and hobgoblins, which they greedily listen to, and dare not go to bed for fear.

Source: Gulliver's Travels (Original Version)

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