haunt
- 01 B1 Intermediate
v.to visit or live in a place as a ghost.
v.to manifest as a ghost or spirit in a specific location. Transitive, taking the location as a direct object.
Simple“Locals say that the ghost of a grey lady haunts the old castle library.”
In context“Legend has it that the spirit of the former lighthouse keeper continues to haunt the cliffs, appearing only during the most violent winter storms.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to stay in your mind for a long time in an unpleasant way.
v.to recur persistently in the mind of a person, typically causing distress or anxiety.
Simple“The memory of the car accident continued to haunt him for many years.”
In context“The missed opportunity to reconcile with his father would haunt him for the rest of his professional life, influencing every decision he made.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
n.a place that you visit often because you like it.
n.a place frequented by a specified person or group of people.
Simple“The quiet café in the corner of the park was her favourite haunt.”
In context“The old tavern had once been a popular haunt for local poets and revolutionary thinkers before it was converted into a modern boutique.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
n.another word for a ghost or a spirit.
n.a ghost or supernatural apparition. This usage is restricted to specific regional varieties.
Simple“The children were afraid to go into the woods, fearing they might see a haunt.”
In context“In the folklore of the region, a haunt is said to guard the entrance to the hidden valley, deterring any unwanted travellers.”
“I love a pub.” It’s since become their favourite haunt; some of Hazel Eyes was written on the counter.”
“The brutality of the case rocked Mexico and continues to haunt the country more than a decade on.”
From Middle English haunten (“to reside, inhabit, use, employ”), from Old French hanter (“to inhabit, frequent, resort to”), from Old Northern French hanter (“to go back home, frequent”), from Old Norse heimta (“to bring home, fetch”) or/and from Old English hāmettan (“to bring home; house; cohabit with”); both from Proto-Germanic haimatjaną (“to house, bring home”), from Proto-Germanic haimaz (“village, home”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱóymos (“village”). Cognate with Old English hǣman (“to cohabit, lie with, marry”); related to Old English hām (“home, village”), Old French hantin (“a stay, a place frequented by”) from the same Germanic source. Another descendant from the French is Dutch hanteren, whence German hantieren, Swedish hantera, Danish håndtere. More at home.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.