spook

[ spook ]

noun

1. Informal. a ghost; specter.
2. Slang. a ghostwriter.
3. Slang. an eccentric person.
4. Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. a contemptuous term used to refer to a Black person.
5. Slang. an espionage agent; spy.

verb (used with object)

1. to haunt; inhabit or appear in or to as a ghost or specter.
2. Informal. to frighten; scare.

verb (used without object)

1. Informal. to become frightened or scared:

   The fish spooked at any disturbance in the pool.

spook

/ spuːk /

noun

1. a ghost or a person suggestive of this
2. a spy
3. slang.
   any pale or colourless alcoholic spirit

   spook and diesel

verb

1. to frighten

   to spook a person

   to spook horses

2. (of a ghost) to haunt

Sensitive Note

When referring to a black person, the term spook dates back to the 1940s. It is used with disparaging intent and is perceived as highly insulting. Black pilots who trained at Tuskegee Institute during World War II were called the Spookwaffe. Some sources say that black pilots reclaimed this derogatory nickname as a self-referential term of pride.

Derived Forms

• ˈspookish, adjective

Other Words From

• spooker·y noun
• spookish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of spook¹

An Americanism first recorded in 1795–1805; from Dutch; cognate with German Spuk

Word History and Origins

Origin of spook¹

C19: Dutch spook, from Middle Low German spōk ghost

Example Sentences

Moreover, as Zehme writes in the first chapter, Carson’s “ghostly wrath” “seems to still spook eternal; ancient pledges of tight-lipped ones persist, especially regarding his very human flaws. ”

From Los Angeles Times

Its formal announcement, after weeks and weeks of hints, is part of a strategy to avoid surprises that could spook the markets - remember that is exactly what happened two years ago and it finished off firstly the then-chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, and then the prime minister, Liz Truss.

From BBC

The price increases of the pandemic period were sufficiently large and rapid to spook economists and consumers alike.

From Los Angeles Times

A few years after legendary magician Harry Houdini crusaded against spiritualists and mediums, spook shows started popping up throughout North America and beyond.

From Los Angeles Times

According to Mark Walker, author of “Ghostmasters,” the preeminent text on spook shows, these performances gradually lost their audiences due to a number of factors, including the rise of a new invention called television, the downsizing of movie houses, and rising operational costs.

From Los Angeles Times