Dictionary
Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.
things that go bump in the night en · NOUN
Pronunciation
Meanings
-
(humorous, informal, plural, plural-only) Frightening imagined creatures; ghosts or other supernatural beings.
"From Ghaisties, Ghoulies, and Long-Leggity Beasties, and Things That Go Bump in the Night - Good Lord Deliver us."
1911, Harriott Ely Fansler, Types of prose narratives: A text-book for the story writer, page 43:But most of all I recall the haunting magic of the lanterns and the whispered tales of ghosties, goblins, and things that go bump in the night with which we tried to frighten each other.
1961 October 27, May Mackintosh, “If I Were a Witch”, in The Glasgow Herald, page 7:Hellish new noises from new and secret British anti-aircraft devices vibrated last week through the din of London bombings. . . . [T]hey must have reminded Londoners of the old litany:
From ghoulies and ghosties,
Long leggety beasties
And things that go bump in the night
Good Lord, deliver us.
1940, "Life on the Newsfronts of the World," Life Magazine, 7 Oct., p. 32