English

hagride

From hag + ride.

A compound of hag + ride

Proto-West Germanic *hagatussjā ‘witch’

Old English hægtesse ‘harpy, witch’

Middle English hagge ‘demon, old woman’

English hag

Proto-Indo-European *Hreydʰ- ‘to ride’

Proto-Germanic *rīdaną ‘to ride’

Proto-West Germanic *rīdan ‘to ride’

Old English rīdan ‘to ride’

Middle English riden

English ride

Today it means

verb To harass or torment with dread or nightmares.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.