boggard

plural boggards · alternative boggart · alternative obsolete buggard · alternative obsolete baggard

1. UKdialectalhuman sciencesA bogey: a ghost, goblin, or other hostile supernatural creature, especially a small local spirit haunting gloomy places or the scenes of violence.

   A Boggarde, spectrum.

   1570, P. Levens, Manipulus Vocabulorum

   1 more example

   He thinks every bush a boggard, i.e. a bugbear or phantasm.

   1768, John Ray, A Compleat Collection of English Proverbs, published 1818, page 123

   Synonyms: goblin

2. figurativelyA bugbear: any terrifying thing.

   Hell is but a boggarde to scarre children.

   a. 1599, in 1616, Robert Rollock, Lectures upon the History of the Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Ch. xiv, page 132

   1 more example

   Nor be such buggarddes to the poor, yff they may not beare the bagge alone.

   1575, W. Whittingham, Brieff Discours of the Troubles Begonne at Franckford in Germany A.D. 1554

3. obsoleteAny real or imagined thing which prompts a horse to boggle (take fright).

plural boggards · alternative bogard · alternative boggards

1. obsoleteAn outhouse: an outbuilding used as a lavatory.

   Siege, jacques, bogard, or draught, latrina.

   1552, Richard Huloet, Abcedarium Anglico Latinum

   1 more example

   He [Satan] thought it wisdome to keep the land [of Ireland] for a Boggards for his unclean spirits.

   1647, Nathaniel Ward, The Simple Cobler of Aggawam in America, page 76

   Synonyms: outhouse