† scare-baben.
Obsolete.attributive.c1594 Epit. in Peterborough Cathedral in R. J. King Handbk. Cathedrals Eng.: Eastern Div. (1862) 71 A Scarebabe mighty voice with visage grim.
Something to frighten children; a bugbear, bogy.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > fear > quality of inspiring fear > quality of terribleness > [noun] > one who or that which terrifies > object of terror (usually imaginary) > nursery bugbear
Bloody Bones?1548
raw-head1566
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raw-flesh1598
Turk1598
scare-bairn1681
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a1591 H. Smith Serm. (1594) 279 Therfore take heed of hell, for Purgatorie is but a scarre babe.
1606 Wily Beguilde 33 Ile..come like some Hob goblin..And like a Scarbabe make him take his legges.
1621 A. Cade Serm. Conscience 16 They become Scarre-babes and Bug-beares to their Innocent neighbours.
Derivatives
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > fear > quality of inspiring fear > quality of terribleness > [noun] > one who or that which terrifies > object of terror (usually imaginary) > nursery bugbear
Bloody Bones?1548
raw-head1566
scare-babea1591
raw-flesh1598
Turk1598
scare-bairn1681
raw necka1774
1681 W. Robertson Phraseologia generalis (1693) 495 An Hagg or scare-barn, a bug-bear to frighten children.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1910; most recently modified version published online March 2021).
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