things that go bump in the night
Scary nighttime sounds
Things that go bump in the night are mysterious or frightening presences imagined to lurk in darkness—ghosts, monsters, or other supernatural beings.
The phrase comes from an old Scottish prayer asking for protection from such entities.
It's now used half-seriously for anything spooky or unknown: The old house creaked with things that go bump in the night.
- owlsNocturnal birds of prey
- ghostsSpirits of the deceased
- poltergeistsObject-throwing supernatural entities
- cold spotsAreas notably colder nearby
- bansheesIrish folklore's death-crying women
raccoons · opossums · fear · wind · urban legends · apparitions · sleep paralysis · haunted houses · bats · revenants · shadow figures · graveyard shift · wraiths · ghost stories · horror movies · specters · wolves · nightmares
things that go bump in the nightguardian angels
Protective spirits assigned to individuals
protectors · security blanket · night watchmen · guardians · safe harbor
things that go bump in the nightreal-world problems
Difficulties encountered in actuality