Pronunciation: ['sna-li-gah-stêr]
Definition: (Regional slang) An unscrupulous but shrewd person; a hob-goblin that preys on naughty boys, girls and poultry (sometimes called a "snallygaster").
Usage: Occasionally we offer a local dialectal variant like today's word just to share the fun it brings with the entire English-speaking community. Today's word seems to have originated in the Pennsylvania-Maryland area of the Eastern United States but occurs widely now in the Northeast. There might be a place for it in the general vocabulary.
Suggested Usage: Although dictionaries often claim this word refers only to politicians, in New England it sometimes refers to extremely bad storms (Nor'easters). The common thread seems to be something noxious and deceptive, "Hubert hired some snollygoster to put siding on his house and now it's falling off and Hubert can't find him anywhere." Of course, never say anything like this to your children: "Hetty, if you don't put your toys away, the snollygoster will get you and your pet chicken!" She might try the same tactic on your grandchildren.
Etymology: In some areas of the Eastern United States, parents keep their children ruly with warnings about the evil snollygoster or snallygaster, a nocturnal monster that is part bird, part reptile, and pounces with incredible swiftness when least expected. The name apparently derives from Pennsylvania Dutch schnelle geeschter "quick spirit," a dialectal variant of German schnell "fast, quick" and German Geist "spirit," the latter akin to English "ghost." "Snollygoster" is apparently the last stage of the progression schnelle geeschter > snallygaster > snollygoster
Could this possibly be the thing that goes bump in my closet??????
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