spook

Meanings

Noun

• A ghost or phantom.
• A hobgoblin.
• A scare or fright.
• A spy.
• A black person.
• A metaphysical manifestation; an artificial distinction or construct.
• A psychiatrist.
• A player who engages in hole carding by attempting to glimpse the dealer's hole card when the dealer checks under an ace or a 10 to see if a blackjack is present.

Verb

• To frighten or make nervous (especially by startling).
• To become frightened (by something startling).
• To haunt.

Origin

• Borrowed from Dutch spook, from Middle Dutch spooc.