Spook: meaning, definitions and examples

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spook

[ spuːk ]

^{Context #1}

in horror movies

A ghost or supernatural being, especially one that is thought to bring bad luck or harm to people.

Synonyms

apparition, ghost, phantom, specter

Examples of usage

The old abandoned house was rumored to be haunted by a spook.
The villagers believed that the spook of the forest would curse anyone who entered.

^{Context #2}

informal

To scare or frighten someone.

Synonyms

alarm, frighten, startle

Examples of usage

The sudden noise spooked the horse and it bolted away.
Don't sneak up on me like that, you really spooked me!

Translations

Translations of the word "spook" in other languages:

🇵🇹 assustar

🇮🇳 डराना

🇩🇪 erschrecken

🇮🇩 menakuti

🇺🇦 лякати

🇵🇱 straszyć

🇯🇵 怖がらせる

🇫🇷 effrayer

🇪🇸 asustar

🇹🇷 korkutmak

🇰🇷 놀라게 하다

🇸🇦 يخيف

🇨🇿 vyděsit

🇸🇰 vystrašiť

🇨🇳 惊吓

🇸🇮 prestrašiti

🇮🇸 hræða

🇰🇿 қорқыту

🇬🇪 შეშინება

🇦🇿 qorxutmaq

🇲🇽 asustar

Word origin

The word 'spook' originated in the late 19th century as a slang term for a ghost or spirit. It is believed to be derived from the Dutch word 'spook', meaning ghost. Over time, the term expanded to include any supernatural being or frightening entity. In modern usage, 'spook' is commonly used to refer to ghosts in horror stories or as a verb to describe the act of scaring someone.