spook

• Nom désignant un fantôme ou un esprit, ou une personne étrange et dérangeante, ou encore une image mentale effrayante liée à une expérience vécue.

A noun referring to a person who is unpleasantly strange or eccentric, or a mental representation of a haunting experience.

1. Ghost or apparitionA2informal

   A supernatural entity, often believed to be the spirit of a dead person, that can appear to the living.

   Fantôme ou apparition

   • The old house is said to be haunted by a spook.
   • He told a scary story about a spook in the attic.
   • Children often imagine spooks in the dark.

   Synonymesapparitionghostphantomshadespecterspiritwraith

2. Eccentric or strange personB2informalamerican

   A person who is considered unpleasantly strange, eccentric, or odd in behavior or appearance.

   personne étrange ou excentrique

   • That guy at the party was a real spook, staring at everyone silently.
   • She's a bit of a spook, always muttering to herself.
   • The neighborhood spook lives alone in the big, rundown house.

   Synonymescrackpotcrankeccentricfreakkookloonmisfitnutoddballweirdo

3. Haunting memory or ideaC1informal

   A mental representation of a past experience that continues to cause fear, anxiety, or unease.

   Idée ou souvenir obsédant

   • The memory of the accident is a spook that still haunts him.
   • She couldn't shake the spook of her childhood trauma.
   • The spook of failure prevented him from trying new things.

   Synonymesapparitionghostphantasmphantomshadowspecter

• Verbe utilisé pour désigner l'action d'effrayer soudainement quelqu'un (une personne ou un animal), ou l'état de celui qui est effrayé.

A verb used to indicate the act of frightening or startling someone or an animal, or to become frightened or startled.

1. Frighten or scareB2informal

   To cause someone or an animal to become suddenly frightened, often leading to a startled or panicked reaction.

   Effrayer

   • The loud noise spooked the horse, causing it to bolt.
   • The sudden appearance of a stranger spooked her.
   • Don't make any sudden moves; you'll spook the deer.

   Synonymesalarmfrightenpanicscarestartleterrifyunnerve

   Antonymescalmcomfortreassuresoothe

2. Provoke into actionB2informal

   To frighten someone or something so much that they react in a sudden, often aggressive or uncontrolled way.

   Effrayer pour faire réagir

   • The protesters were spooked into a violent confrontation by the police presence.
   • The dog was spooked into barking at the mailman.
   • The news spooked investors into selling their stocks.

   Synonymesagitatealarmfrightenpanicrattlescarestartleunnerve

   Antonymescalmreassuresoothe