boogerbear

boogerbear n Also boogabear, boogeybear, boogiebear, buggabear, buggerbear [Var of bugbear, infl by booger n]

1 = booger n 1a. chiefly Sth, S Midl See Map

1905 ID Daily Statesman (Boise) 27 Dec 4/4 TX, I’m a horse to ride on,/ I’m a booger-bear to affright,/ I’m the whole menagerie, all in one,/ Contrived for a baby’s delight. 1908 DN 3.292 eAL, wGA, Booger-bear. . . See booger 2. [Booger. . . 2. A mythical being used to frighten children, a bogie.] 1926 Amarillo Sun. News–Globe (TX) 15 Aug 6/4, Some folks, a bit prone to look down their noses, seem to think that the booga-bears may get after us while they have us cornered, with no place to get out. 1939 Hench Coll. AL, VA, I accidentally got into a talk with two other Univ. Va. people—one a history teacher, the other a secretary—about the word “buggabear.” The teacher learned it as a boy in Alabama; and the secretary, a Charlottesville woman, uses it at present here in Charlottesville. Both say they would spell it “buggerbear.” The first syllable rimes with “bug.” 1965–70 DARE (Qu. EE41, A hobgoblin that is used to threaten children and make them behave) 19 Infs, chiefly Sth, S Midl, Boogerbear; IN35, KY89, 94, OR1, VT11, Boogiebear; GA72, Bugger [bᴜgṛ] bear; MS8, Buggerbear; IN5, A buggabear [ˈbʌgəˌber]; (Qu. CC17, Imaginary animals or monsters) Infs KY94, LA3, TN35, Boogerbear. 1972 Zimmer Door 44 neLA (as of 1910s–20s), Another general threat which kept little ones in line was the imminent danger of booga-bears. 1981 CO Springs Gaz. Telegraph (CO) 20 Dec sec G 3/4 AR, And, friend, there’s no boogie bears out there for us any more. There’s nothing out there that ought to frighten us, especially if you know the Lord.

2 also attrib: An object of fear, difficulty, or annoyance. chiefly Sth, S Midl

1898 Biloxi Herald (MS) 18 June 1/1, No danger from these places, but the coast counties are filled with some sort of buggerbear virus, that does not prevail in the above named cities and towns. 1914 Indiana Eve. Gaz. (PA) 6 Mar 1/1, It isn’t the “boogey-bear” that some would have you think, but a good, clean contest, which will by a minimum of effort win you a week’s vacation. 1943 Freeport Facts (TX) 18 Nov [7]/1 (newspaperarchive.com), We hear a lot about the man power shortage and some how this writer believes it is a boogie-bear trumped up by the alphabetical demegogs [sic] around the main feed trough. 1977 Ruston Daily Leader (LA) 2 Nov 5/1, Keeping roots out of a septic system is a tough, expensive and never-ending battle. . . One of the worst offenders here is the yellow poplar. It’s a real bugger-bear around sewer lines. 2006 News Courier (Athens AL) 5 Apr sec A 3/3, Everyone knows that fuel is the boogerbear this year as costs go up too much, it’s a budget-wrecker.

3 Used as an affectionate nickname for a person or animal or as a proper name for a pet. chiefly Sth

1883 Atlanta Constitution (GA) 5 June [2]/1 (newspaperachive.com), A large crowd gathered at Perryman’s store to witness the fight between Smarty and Boogerbear, two very large cats owned by Mr. P. 1933 Amarillo Globe (TX) 14 July 1/5, The young mother signed the note, “Bugger Bear,” a pet name used by her husband. 1976 Alice Echo–News (TX) 1 Feb 4/5, Students at Alice High School were asked the following questions: “Do you have a particular ‘hero’? If so, who and why?[] . . Kathy Reeves: “Charles Bronson. He’s tough and he’s one good-looking bugger bear.” 1986 Daily Times–News (Burlington NC) 6 June sec B 8/9, Lost. Black cat. . . Has injury over left ear. Answers to Booga-Bear. 2003 Facts (Clute TX) 27 Apr sec C 10/2, Booger Bear was the first to greet us by barking and running in from the back yard. 2005 Baytown Sun (TX) 30 Jan sec A 3/2, [Advt:] Happy 1st Birthday Dylan Heath Ellis! We Love You Booga Bear!

4 An ugly woman. ?chiefly among Black speakers

1979 Wesley Mighty Gents 13 neNJ [Black], Fat Martha is a helluva lot better lookin’ than any of the booga bears I seen you with. 2006 DARE File [Black], When I was a schoolchild, I was introduced to boogerbear as one of a zillion words with the meaning, “unattractive girl or woman.”

5 in phr ain’t no boogerbears out tonight: See ain’t no boogers out tonight n.