ghost
[noun]
Synonyms:
- spirit, apparition, phantom, soul, spectre, spook (informal), wraith
- trace, glimmer, hint, possibility, semblance, shadow, suggestion

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Related Words: demon, devil

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English Thesaurus: ghost, spirit, apparition, poltergeist, spook, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. ghost¹ /ɡəʊst $ ɡoʊst/ noun [countable]
[Language: Old English; Origin: gast]

1. SPIRIT the spirit of a dead person that some people think they can feel or see in a place
ghost of
the ghost of Old Tom Morris
They say the young girl’s ghost still haunts (=often appears in) the house.
He looked as if he’d seen a ghost (=he looked very frightened). ⇒ Holy Ghost

2. MEMORY/EFFECT the memory or effect of someone or something bad that lived, existed, or happened in the past
ghost of
The ghost of Stalinism still affects life in Russia today.

3. the ghost of a smile/sound etc a smile etc that is so slight you are not sure it happened:
The ghost of a smile flitted across her sad features.

4. TELEVISION/COMPUTER a second image that is not clear on a television or computer screen

5. give up the ghost
a) if a machine gives up the ghost, it does not work any more and cannot be repaired – used humorously:
Unfortunately, my car’s just given up the ghost.
b) to die

6. (not) a ghost of a chance not even a slight chance of doing something, or of something happening:
They don’t stand a ghost of a chance of winning.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. ghost² verb [transitive]
to write something as a ghost writer

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

ghost
noun
VERB + GHOST see You look as if you've seen a ghost!
believe in I don't believe in ghosts.
exorcise, lay to rest A priest was called in to exorcise the ghost.
GHOST + VERB appear, haunt sth, walk dark, cold nights when ghosts walk
GHOST + NOUN story
PREP. ~ of The ghost of a hanged poacher is said to haunt the manor house.
PHRASES as pale/white as a ghost He looked as pale as a ghost as he climbed out of the wrecked car.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

ghost the spirit of a dead person that some people think they can feel or see in a place:
His ghost is believed to haunt the house.
spirit a creature without a physical body, such as an angel or ghost:
evil spirits
the spirit world
apparition an image of a dead person that someone sees suddenly for a short time:
He claimed to have seen an apparition in the church.
poltergeist a ghost that people cannot see, which throws things or moves things around:
The house was haunted by a poltergeist that makes things move around all by themselves, sometimes quite big things like beds or wardrobes.
spook informal a ghost:
I’m not scared of spooks.
phantom literary a frightening and unclear image of a dead person:
They had seen phantoms gliding on the surface of the water.
spectre British English, specter American English literary a ghost, especially a frightening one:
She had looked like a spectre.
The following night, the spectre appeared again.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

ghost
ɡəust
See: give up the ghost

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲