things that go bump in the night

noun

Frightening imagined creatures; ghosts or other supernatural beings.

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Meanings

nounthings that go bump in the night pl (plural only)
  1. humorousinformalpluralplural onlyFrightening imagined creatures; ghosts or other supernatural beings.

    "From Ghaisties, Ghoulies, and Long-Leggity Beasties, and Things That Go Bump in the Night - Good Lord Deliver us."

    1911, Harriott Ely Fansler, Types of prose narratives: A text-book for the story writer, page 43
    2 more examples

    Hellish new noises from new and secret British anti-aircraft devices vibrated last week through the din of London bombings. . . . [T]hey must have reminded Londoners of the old litany: From ghoulies and ghosties, Long leggety beasties And things that go bump in the night Good Lord, deliver us.

    1940, "Life on the Newsfronts of the World," Life Magazine, 7 Oct., p. 32

    But most of all I recall the haunting magic of the lanterns and the whispered tales of ghosties, goblins, and things that go bump in the night with which we tried to frighten each other.

    1961 October 27, May Mackintosh, “If I Were a Witch”, in The Glasgow Herald, page 7
Cite this entry
APA

things that go bump in the night. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/things%20that%20go%20bump%20in%20the%20night

MLA

“things that go bump in the night.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/things%20that%20go%20bump%20in%20the%20night. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “things that go bump in the night,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/things%20that%20go%20bump%20in%20the%20night.

Source: things that go bump in the night on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.