1. Plural of boogeyman; imaginary creatures or people used to frighten children.
Usage: Often used in the phrase 'boogeyman' or 'boogey' in singular form
2. A person or thing that is feared or disliked; something that causes anxiety or dread.
Usage: Figurative use; informal
3. In golf, a score of one stroke over par on a hole.
Usage: Sports terminology

1. To score a boogeyman (one stroke over par) on a golf hole.
Usage: Sports terminology; third-person singular or plural present tense

Examples

• Parents sometimes use boogeys to encourage children to behave well.
• Inflation has become the economic boogeys that policymakers fear most.
• He boogeys on the back nine and loses the tournament.
• She boogeys two holes in a row during the match.
• The boogeys under the bed kept the child awake at night.
• Tax increases are the political boogeys that both parties invoke.
• He boogeys the par-4 and falls behind in the competition.