Spook

Pronunciation

• enPR: spoÍžok, IPA: /spuːk/
• Rhymes: -uːk

Origin

From Dutch spook ("ghost"), from Middle Dutch spooc ("spook, ghost"); liken German Spuk ("ghost, apparition"), Middle Low German spok ("spook"), Swedish spok (" scarecrow"), Norwegian spjok ("ghost, specter"), Danish spøg ("joke").

Full definition of spook

Noun

1. A spirit returning to haunt a place.The visit to the old cemetery brought scary visions of spooks and ghosts.
2. A ghost or an apparition.The building was haunted by a couple of spooks.
3. A hobgoblin.
4. (espionage) A spy.
• 2009, "Spies like them", BBC News Magazine (online), 24 July 2009:From Ian Fleming to John Le Carre - authors have long been fascinated by the world of espionage. But, asks the BBC’s Gordon Corera, what do real life spooks make of fictional spies?
• 2012, The Economist, Oct 13th 2012, Huawei and ZTE: Put on holdThe congressional study frets that Huawei’s and ZTE’s products could be used as Trojan horses by Chinese spooks.
5. A scare or fright.The big spider gave me a spook.
6. (dated, pejorative) A black person.

Synonyms

Verb

1. To scare or frighten.
2. To startle or frighten an animalThe movement in the bushes spooked the deer and they ran.

Derived terms

Anagrams

• SOKOP