nightmare: Meaning and Definition of

night•mare

Pronunciation: (nīt'mâr"), [key]
— n.
  1. a terrifying dream in which the dreamer experiences feelings of helplessness, extreme anxiety, sorrow, etc.
  2. a condition, thought, or experience suggestive of a nightmare: the nightmare of his years in prison.
  3. (formerly) a monster or evil spirit believed to oppress persons during sleep.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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