goblin

goblin
   A wandering sprite who attaches itself to households and both helps and plagues the residents. Goblins are comparable to low-level DEMONs, not inherently evil but mischievous, the equivalent of brownies in England and Scotland, kobalds in Germany, domoviks in Russia. The Greeks called such spirits kobaloi, or “rogues” or “tricksters.” Goblin is a French term. A hobgoblin is a nasty type of goblin, intent on doing harm. Goblins live in grottoes, but they are attracted to homes that have beautiful children and plentiful wine. When they move in, they help by doing household chores at night and disciplining children—by giving them presents when they are good and punishing them when they are naughty. Goblins have an unpredictable, mischievous nature, and instead of doing chores at night, they will sometimes keep everyone awake by banging pots and pans, moving furniture, knocking on walls and doors, and snatching bedclothes off sleeping persons. Goblins who become tiresome can be persuaded to leave by scattering flaxseed on the floor. The sprites get tired of cleaning it up every night.
   Goblins have become associated with Halloween and are said to roam the night when the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead is thinnest.
   See bogey.

Encyclopedia of Demons and Demonology. . 2009.

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  • Goblin — steht für: ein Fabelwesen, siehe Kobold Goblin (Band), eine italienische Band, die für ihre Horrorfilmmusik bekannt wurde eine Moblin Variante von Novell de Havilland Goblin, ein britisches Strahltriebwerk der ersten Generation McDonnell XF 85… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Goblin — Gob lin, n. [OE. gobelin, F. gobelin, LL. gobelinus, fr. Gr. ? knave, a mischievous goblin; or cf. G. kobold, E. kobold, cobalt, Armor. gobilin an ignis fatuus, goblin.] An evil or mischievous spirit; a playful or malicious elf; a frightful… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Goblin — (homonymie) Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Un Goblin, ou plutôt Gobelin dans sa graphie française correcte, est une créature surnaturelle. Goblin est un groupe de musique. Goblins 3 est …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Goblin — puede referirse a: trasgo, una criatura mitológica; trauco, otra criatura mitológica; duende, ser mitológico elemental de la naturaleza, guardián de los bosques y de todos los seres vivos que habitan en ellos. de Havilland Goblin, uno de los… …   Wikipedia Español

  • goblin — ► NOUN ▪ a mischievous, ugly, dwarf like creature of folklore. ORIGIN Old French gobelin, possibly related to German Kobold (denoting a spirit who haunts houses or lives underground) or to Greek kobalos mischievous goblin …   English terms dictionary

  • goblin — GOBLÍN s.n. v. goblen. Trimis de LauraGellner, 13.09.2007. Sursa: DN …   Dicționar Român

  • goblin — (n.) early 14c., a devil, incubus, fairy, from O.Fr. gobelin (12c., as M.L. Gobelinus, the name of a spirit haunting the region of Evreux, in chronicle of Ordericus Vitalis), of uncertain origin, perhaps related to Ger. kobold (see COBALT (Cf.… …   Etymology dictionary

  • goblin — [n] elf bogeyman, brownie, demon, fiend, gnome, gremlin, imp, kobold, nixie, pixie, spirit, sprite; concept 370 …   New thesaurus

  • goblin — [gäb′lin] n. [ME gobelin < OFr < ML gobelinus < VL * cobalus < Gr kobalos, sprite] Folklore an evil or mischievous spirit, often represented in pictures as humanlike and ugly or misshapen in form …   English World dictionary

  • Goblin — Infobox Paranormalcreatures Creature Name = Goblin Image Caption = Grouping = Mythological creature Fairy Possibilities = AKA = Country = Region = Europe Habitat = First Reported = In folklore Last Sighted = Status = UnconfirmedA goblin is an… …   Wikipedia

  • goblin — /gob lin/, n. a grotesque sprite or elf that is mischievous or malicious toward people. [1300 50; ME gobelin < MF < MHG kobold goblin; see KOBOLD] Syn. GOBLIN, GNOME, GREMLIN refer to supernatural beings thought to be malevolent to people.… …   Universalium

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