A terrific vision.
1740. Hobgoblins, Rawheads, and Bloodybones, Buggybows.—‘Christmas Entertainment,’ ii. (N.E.D., the next citation being from E. A. Poe, 1843).
1800. Buggaboo Tracy scowled. Gunn stared and looked wise.—The Aurora (Phila.), June 4.
1806. Advt., signed “James Akin, Author of the ‘Prairie Dog,’ ‘Infuriated Despondency,’ ‘Bug-a-boo,’ &c.—The Repertory (Boston), Nov. 21.
1812. Thus is ended, says the Canandaigua Repository, the bullying of this swaggering bugaboo.—Boston-Gazette, Dec. 21.
1812. As to the bugaboo Smythe, on Friday last he was at his quarters.—Mass. Spy, Dec. 23.
1842. “Bugaboo Hall,” the title of “a minor romance,” concerning a haunted house.—Phila. Spirit of the Times, May 18.
1843. Diseased potatoes form the last bugaboo story for the newspapers.—Id., Nov. 17.
a. 1848. All ye who see bugaboos in the dim distance, and would cut ’cross lots to eternity.—Dow, Jun., ‘Patent Sermons,’ i. 70.
1852. Why do you make such a bugaboo of nothing?—James Weir, ‘Simon Kenton,’ p. 29 (Phila.).
1855. [The principle of opposition to foreigners] is a bugaboo that commenced in the city of New York.—Mr. Kelly of N.Y., House of Repr., Dec. 19: Cong. Globe, p. 54.
1860. John Hickman is by no means the bug-a-boo to the Southerners you would suppose.—Oregon Argus, June 9.
