A bete noire (noun, meaning "black beast" in French) is a person or thing strongly disliked or feared. It could be the candidate you don't want for President. It could be the cat lurking around the corner, ready to pounce (in our house, we call this special kind of bete noire the "furtive beast"). It could be a thing of deeper nightmares. It is anything and everything that could possibly be out to get you, hold you down, giggling as you struggle. Perhaps in that cornfield with the eyeshine.
