Nightmare
In short: “Mare” was an evil spirit that sat on sleepers’ chests. Today “nightmare” means a bad dream or anything very unpleasant.
Did you know the word “nightmare” originally had nothing to do with bad dreams? In Old English, a “mare” was a mythological demon believed to sit on people’s chests and suffocate them during sleep. Over time, "night-mare" came to mean the frightening experience itself. Now, we use it more broadly to describe anything unpleasant—like “That traffic jam was a total nightmare!”
How to use it
Beyond bad dreams, “nightmare” is everyday English for any very difficult or stressful situation: traffic, paperwork, a trip that went wrong. “A total nightmare” and “an absolute nightmare” are very common. “Nightmarish” is the adjective.
Examples
- I had a nightmare that I missed my flight.
- Getting a visa was a total nightmare.
- Moving apartments in the snow was an absolute nightmare.
A common mistake
The “mare” is not a female horse. It’s a different, older word that only looks the same. Also, “nightmare” is one word, not “night mare.”
Say it out loud
Tabbi Daily gives you one short lesson like this every day. Listen, record yourself and hear how you sound. Free, no account needed.
Source: Etymonline