spook
pronunciation
How to pronounce spook in British English:
UK [spu:k]
How to pronounce spook in American English:
US [spuk]
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- Noun:
- someone unpleasantly strange or eccentric
- a mental representation of some haunting experience
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- Verb:
- frighten or scare, and often provoke into a violent action
Word Origin
- spook (n.)
- 1801, "spectre, apparition, ghost," from Dutch spook, from Middle Dutch spooc "spook, ghost," from a common Germanic source (German Spuk "ghost, apparition," Middle Low German spok "spook," Swedish spok "scarecrow," Norwegian spjok "ghost, specter," Danish spøg "joke"), of unknown origin. According to Klein's sources, possible outside connections include Lettish spigana "dragon, witch," spiganis "will o' the wisp," Lithuanian spingu, spingeti "to shine," Old Prussian spanksti "spark." Meaning "undercover agent" is attested from 1942. The derogatory racial sense of "black person" is attested from 1940s, perhaps from notion of dark skin being difficult to see at night. Black pilots trained at Tuskegee Institute during World War II called themselves the Spookwaffe.
- spook (v.)
- 1867, "to walk or act like a ghost," from spook (n.). Meaning "to unnerve" is from 1935. Related: Spooked; spooking.
Synonym
Example
- 1. But officials fear that talk of managing failures would spook markets .
- 2. Reindeer can spook suddenly , so nils peder kneels calmly in the midst of the herd on which his livelihood depends .
- 3. Costly commodities will deter the resurgent american consumer , and may also spook the federal reserve into withdrawing monetary support at a faster pace .
- 4. So far , mint has had an impeccable record when it comes to security and privacy , though this interview will surely spook some users .
- 5. A loan from the latter could spook investors in spanish sovereign bonds .