bogey

Etymology 1

Probably related to or alteration of bogle, akin to or from a variant of Middle English bugge ("frightening specter, scarecrow"), perhaps from obsolete Welsh bwg ("ghost, hobgoblin"; compare Welsh bwgwl ("threat", older "fear")) or from Proto-Germanic *bugja- (“swollen up, thick”) (compare Norwegian bugge (“big man”), dialectal Low German Bögge and Alemannic German Böögg (“goblin”, “snot”)). Perhaps the Middle English and Welsh words come from a word related to buck and originally referred to a goat-shaped specter. Also possibly related to Irish bagairt (“threat”). Golf meaning from the devil as an imaginary player.

noun

1. (archaic, often capitalized, usually with definite article) The Devil.
2. A ghost, goblin, or other hostile supernatural creature.
3. (figurative) A bugbear: any terrifying thing.
   England could have been forgiven for believing the fates were against them as they trailed to their League A Group Four opponents, who have become something of a bogey side over the years. November 18, 2018, Phil McNulty, “England 2 - 1 Croatia”, in BBC Sport
   If one man could be said to be responsible for the creation of the Russian bogy, it was a much-decorated British general named Sir Robert Wilson. 1990, Peter Hopkirk, The Great Game, Folio Society, published 2010, page 54
4. (engineering) A standard of performance set up as a mark to be aimed at in competition.
5. (military, aviation) An unidentified aircraft, especially as observed as a spot on a radar screen and suspected to be hostile.
   He stood on the sand near the gravel road that passed within two miles of the site of the disintegrated bogey, binoculars hanging on a leather strap from his neck, face streaming with sweat under the brim of his hat... Army and government trucks passed along the road every few minutes, some bearing radiation stickers; many of those outward bound, he knew, carried fragments of the bogey. He was not privy to what they were finding. 1987, Greg Bear, “Lacrimosa Dies Illa!”, in The Forge of God (science fiction), →OCLC, page 83
6. (military, aviation, slang) Synonym of bandit: an enemy aircraft.
   God dammit, Mustang! This is Ghost Rider 117. This bogey is all over me. He's got missile lock on me. Do I have permission to fire? 1986, Jim Cash, Jack Epps Jr., Top Gun (motion picture), spoken by Cougar
7. (golf) A score of one over par on a hole.
8. (UK) Alternative form of booger: a piece of mucus in or removed from the nostril.

verb

1. (golf) To make a bogey.

Etymology 2

noun

1. (UK, engineering) A bog-standard (representative) specimen taken from the center of production.

Etymology 3

From Dharug bugi- (“to bathe, dive”).

verb

1. (Australia) To swim; to bathe.

noun

1. (Australia) A swim or bathe; a bath.
   My mother would use leaves from trees to make soap for washing our bodies with, and unfortunately for us kids there was no excuse not to take a bogey. 1994, Rita Huggins & Jackie Huggins, Auntie Rita, in Heiss & Minter, Macquarie PEN Anthology of Aboriginal Literature, Allen & Unwin 2008, p. 151

Etymology 4

A variant of bogie.

noun

1. Alternative spelling of bogie (“one of two sets of wheels under a locomotive or railcar; also, a structure with axles and wheels under a locomotive, railcar, or semi which provides support and reduces vibration for the vehicle”)