An imaginary entity or being used by adults to scare children into behaving themselves.
By extension, a person, thing or event that is widely regarded as an object of fear

Leave the dog alone and go to bed, or the bogeyman will get you!

Lascia stare il cane e vai a letto, se no chiamo il babau!

As children, terrified of the bogeyman, we used to sleep with the blankets pulled over our heads and with the light on

Da bambini, terrorizzati dall'uomo nero, dormivamo con la testa sotto le coperte e con la luce accesa

Global warming, which may have already gone beyond the point of no return, is the bogeyman of environmentalists

Il riscaldamento globale, che potrebbe avere già superato il punto di non ritorno, è la bestia nera degli ambientalisti

The origin of this term could be found in the Middle English “bogge” or “buggle”, meaning specter, ghost