i Register
In some senses, spook is marked as informal, slang, dated, offensive. Watch for register when choosing this word.
spook
UK /spuːk/ US /spʊk/
noun 5verb 3
Collocations
3ADJ.
mean
VERB + SPOOK
didn't, gave
SPOOK + NOUN
tom
Definitions
noun
1
A ghost or phantom.
The building was haunted by a couple of spooks.
"I'll say what I think, no more and no less, and I won't be scared by you or your spooks into altering my opinions."
2
A hobgoblin.
3
A scare or fright.
The big spider gave me a spook.
4
An undercover agent, spy, or intelligence analyst.
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?
The congressional study frets that Huawei’s and ZTE’s products could be used as Trojan horses by Chinese spooks.
5
A black person.
Some won't take spooks—hell, don't make no difference to me.
"[…] Dryades Street and that whole uptown neighborhood is gonna be worth a fortune once the white people take it back from you spooks and develop it. […]"
verb
1
To frighten or make nervous (especially by startling).
The hunters were spooked when the black cat crossed their path. The movement in the bushes spooked the deer and they ran.
As that was happening, an East Midlands train came through at 90mph. George [a Labrador] was spooked as the train went past him and ran backwards across the neighbouring slow lines and off towards the sidings.
2
To become frightened (by something startling).
The deer spooked at the sound of the dogs.
3
To haunt.
Thesaurus
Idioms & Phrases
Example Bank
601
The building was haunted by a couple of spooks.
Wiktionary02
"I'll say what I think, no more and no less, and I won't be scared by you or your spooks into altering my opinions."
Wiktionary03
The big spider gave me a spook.
Wiktionary04
The hunters were spooked when the black cat crossed their path. The movement in the bushes spooked the deer and they ran.
Wiktionary05
As that was happening, an East Midlands train came through at 90mph. George [a Labrador] was spooked as the train went past him and ran backwards across the neighbouring slow lines and off towards the
Wiktionary06
The deer spooked at the sound of the dogs.
WiktionaryUsage Notes
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