bugbear Hear it!

bugbear Definition

bug·bear (bugber′)

noun

  1. an imaginary hobgoblin or terror used to frighten children into good conduct
  2. anything causing seemingly needless or excessive fear or anxiety

Etymology: bug + bear

bugbear Synonyms

bugbear

n.

bugbear Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • mine: And - a particular bugbear of mine - do not insist on being given nonsensical details.
  • business: Credit control Pay me now please - how to get paid on time Late payment is the bugbear of many businesses.

Converse of object

  • have: Broken links, disabled back buttons, the Flash intro - everybody has a web bugbear.
  • solve: One of the main innovations of RSF, request-scope programming, also solves another perennial bugbear with web frameworks which is the scoping issue.
  • become: The ecological fallacy has become a bugbear to frighten people away from interpreting social observations in collective terms.

Adjective modifier

  • big: The big bugbear of cheap horns has always been the accuracy of the action.
  • particular: In the focus groups, train fares were a particular bugbear: Train prices are unbelievable Tubes are better than trains.
  • real: My real bugbear is Science GCSE modules in October!
  • major: One major bugbear, however, is the present state of the road surface.
  • personal: Billy Shears Zaranna Apr 20 2006, 04:14 PM some of my personal bugbears, many in use on the forum today.
  • main: They cited graffiti, litter, rubbish and traffic as being their main bugbears.

Browse dictionary entries near bugbear

  1. bugbane
  2. bugaboos
  3. bugaboo
  4. bug fix
  5. bug-eyed
  6. bug
  7. bufotenine
  8. buffoonish
  9. buffoonery
  10. buffoon
  1. bugged
  2. bugger
  3. bugger off
  4. buggery
  5. buggier
  6. buggies
  7. buggiest
  8. bugging
  9. buggy
  10. bughouse