spook

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“
"But come and see us again I fear it will be as a spook--they laugh at microbes as well as locks.

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Definitions (12)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (6)

  1. noun Informal A ghost; a specter.
  2. noun Slang A secret agent; a spy.
  3. noun Offensive Slang Used as a disparaging term for a Black person.
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Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (2)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (3)

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Examples (50)

  • Blacktooth was almost certain the girl was a spook, that is, a Valley-born genny who passes for normal. —  F ;SF; - vol 093 issue 04-05 - October-November 1997
  • "Grandpa Eben's spook, I guess Don't be silly Well," said Monk, "you supply the smart answers yourself, then There is no such thing as a spook Of course not," Monk agreed. —  130 - The Spook of Grandpa Eben
  • "We wouldn't want to bother him with a little thing like a spook, would we No, we wouldn't," Monk said. —  130 - The Spook of Grandpa Eben
  • You fellows aren't serious about there being a spook, are you Monk looked uncomfortable. —  130 - The Spook of Grandpa Eben
  • "In that case, whoever is responsible for the spook is guilty of murder Maybe Wait a minute," Billy Riggs exclaimed. —  130 - The Spook of Grandpa Eben
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This word has been looked up 102 times.

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Related

Roget's II Roget's II: The New Thesaurus

Used in the same context Used in the Same Context

bogies ·  ghoul ·  scis ·  catchwords ·  politicos ·  phylactery ·  socialite

Used in the same contextWord Family

spook:   spooks ·  spooked
Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (3)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Dutch, from Middle Dutch spooc.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (2)

  1. Also spuke; from Dutch spook, Middle Dutch spoocke = Middle Low German spōk, spūk, Low German spook = German spuch (obsolete except in dial. use), also spuk (after Low German) = Swedish spöke (cf. Dutch spooksel, Middle Dutch spoocksel, Danish spögelse), a spook, ghost. There is nothing to show any connection with Irish puca, elf, sprite, = Welsh pwca, pwci: see puck, pug.
  2. = Dutch spoken = Middle Low German spoken = German spuken, spucken = Swedish spöka = Danish spöge; from the noun.
 

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/spuk/
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