spectre

raise the specter of (something)

To make people aware of or worry about something unpleasant, dreadful, or terrifying. Primarily heard in US. The sudden dip in stock prices has raised the specter of another global recession with some investors. Throughout the Cold War, politicians raised the specter of Communism and the Iron Curtain over anything they thought to be "un-American."
See also: of, raise

the spectre at the feast

Someone or something that acts as a reminder of something negative and thus ruins the enjoyment of something. Primarily heard in UK. I think I'll stay home. I'm afraid that since everyone knows about my recent diagnosis, I will be the spectre at the feast.
See also: feast, spectre
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

the spectre at the feast

or

the ghost at the feast

BRITISH
If someone or something is the spectre at the feast or the ghost at the feast, they make people feel uncomfortable because they remind them of an unhappy event or situation. At the funeral, Lindsay had stood apart, the ultimate spectre at the feast. That question was the ghost at the feast and cast a shadow over the celebrations. Note: According to the Greek writer Plutarch, the Ancient Egyptians used to place a skeleton at the table during a feast, to remind them that they would die one day.
See also: feast, spectre
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

raise the ˈspectre of something

(British English) (American English raise the ˈspecter of something) make people afraid that something unpleasant might happen: The news of more cuts has raised the spectre of redundancies once again.
A spectre is an old word for a ghost.
See also: of, raise, something, spectre
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • raise the specter of (something)
  • raise the spectre of something
  • come to a bad end
  • come to a bad/sticky end
  • scare story
  • have no stomach for something
  • have the stomach for
  • be tainted by (something)
  • be in for
  • be in for something
References in periodicals archive
According to the press release shared by HP, the new 4G-enabled Spectre Folio LTE is currently available in India in Cognac Brown for Rs 1,99,990.
Spectre now owns around 83% of the company and will likely move to de-list it once the offer closes this week.
Rory Kinnear will be seen once again as Tanner in Bond 25, after appearing in Spectre and Skyfall as the same.
The review should take three to four months, Spectre said.
"The owner of Spectre, Philip Day, has a successful track record within the retail sector, especially in turnaround and distressed situations."
Spectre Cargo Solutions is a freighter-focused aircraft leasing and management company based in Austin, Texas USA.
This includes long-lasting battery life, with up to 22.5 hours in the Spectre x360 13 -- a 37 percent increase versus the previous generation -- and up to 17.5 hours in the Spectre x360 15.
Earlier versions of Spectre attacks were dangerous enough.
This sounds like similar to language to what we heard when the disclosures around Spectre and Meltdown were pending.
With the term 'premium detachable,' you may have already guessed the HP Spectre X2 is a hybrid that straddles the realm between a laptop and a tablet.
on January 3 rd to the Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities when it
Apple noted that the iOS 11.2.2 software update for iOS, macOS and Safari was to protect the search engine against the Spectre vulnerability, and is available for iPhone 5S and later, iPad Air and later, and iPod touch 6th generation.
Update 11.2.2 for iOS has been released to address the Spectre security vulnerability in iPhones and iPads.
today unveiled new innovations to its premium consumer line-up with the next generation HP Spectre 13 and HP Spectre x360 13 laptops.
22 February 2017 - UK-based e-money issuer and alternative banking provider Prepaid Financial Services Ltd has acquired Malta-based software development company Spectre Technologies Ltd., the firm said.