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Gremlin vs Hobgoblin - What's the difference?

gremlin | hobgoblin | Related terms |

In by extension terms the difference between gremlin and hobgoblin

is that gremlin is any mysterious, unknown source of trouble or mischief while hobgoblin is a source of dread, fear or apprehension; a bugbear.

As nouns the difference between gremlin and hobgoblin

is that gremlin is a mythical creature reputed to be mechanically and mischievously inclined to damage or dismantle machinery while hobgoblin is a small, ugly goblin that makes trouble for humans.

gremlin

English

(wikipedia gremlin)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A mythical creature reputed to be mechanically and mischievously inclined to damage or dismantle machinery.
  • (by extension) Any mysterious, unknown source of trouble or mischief.
  • :We rechecked everything, and we suspect gremlins in the database.

    • hobgoblin

    English

    (wikipedia hobgoblin)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A small, ugly goblin that makes trouble for humans.
  • * 1837 , Albany Fonblanque, England Under Seven Administrations , Volume 1, page 98,
    • A M. Berbiguier lately published an elaborate work, in three huge volumes, in which he demonstrated the existence of hobgoblins', described the proper manner of capturing and securing them, and took credit to himself for his zeal for the benefit of mankind, in allowing no day to pass without imprisoning, with his own hands, at least thirty '''hobgoblins'''. A writer of biographical notices of contemporary authors, who believed neither in M. Berbiguier's manner of catching '''hobgoblins''' nor in the existence of ' hobgoblins did not scruple to say that M. Berbiguier was mad, and upon this M. Berbiguier brought his action for libel; but unluckily, together with his action, he brought himself into Court, and established in a very few words the truth of the libel.
  • * 2007 , Introduction: Phonoplay: Recasting Film Music'', Daniel Goldmark, Lawrence Kramer, Richard D. Leppert (editors), ''Beyond the Soundtrack: Representing Music in Cinema , page 1,
    • The monster goes unrecognized because he looks like a harmless, pudgy nobody rather than like a hobgoblin'. But he reveals his ' hobgoblin nature through music.
  • * 2005 , Scott Harper, Winter's Rite , page 142,
    • The eyes blinked out and he heard a faint grunt, followed by the sounds of the Hobgoblin scrambling further back into the tunnel, away from the faint sunlight and the Ur'hunglav's domain.
  • (by extension) A source of dread, fear or apprehension; a bugbear.
  • *
  • * 2004 , James Mulvihill, Upstart Talents: Rhetoric and the Career of Reason in English Romantic Disccourse 1790-1820 , page 55,
    • Under "Fallacies of Danger," then, is listed the subhead of "The Hobgoblin''' Argument, or, No Innovation'', in which the '''hobgoblin''' in question is ''anarchy''; which tremendous spectre has for its forerunner the monster ''innovation''." A hot button like this would presumably elicit a visceral response even from Hamilton whose aversion to the ' hobgoblin of parliamentary reform was apparently his sole unreasoning reflex.
  • * 2011 , John Mueller, Mark G. Stewart, Terror, Security, and Money: Balancing the Risks, Benefits, and Costs of Homeland Security , page 190,
    • However, the public seems to have been able to retain much of its sense of alarm about internal attacks even when the al-Qaeda hobgoblin doesn't actually carry any out.