Associations to the word «Bugbear»

Wiktionary

BUGBEAR, noun. An ongoing problem; a recurring obstacle or adversity.
BUGBEAR, noun. A source of dread; resentment; or irritation.
BUGBEAR, noun. An imaginary creature meant to inspire fear in children.
BUGBEAR, verb. (transitive) To alarm with idle phantoms.

Dictionary definition

BUGBEAR, noun. An imaginary monster used to frighten children.
BUGBEAR, noun. An object of dread or apprehension; "Germany was always a bugbear for France"; "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds"--Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Wise words

To use the same words is not a sufficient guarantee of understanding; one must use the same words for the same genus of inward experience; ultimately one must have one's experiences in common.
Friedrich Nietzsche