bug
English meaning: Bug
Definition
An insect of the order Hemiptera (the “true bugs”).
Example
“A tiny bug crawled across the kitchen counter.”
Another example: “Stop bugging me while I'm trying to work.”
Usage — When, Where & How
A noun and verb. As a noun: an insect, a fault in software/equipment ('a software bug'), a minor illness ('a stomach bug'), or a hidden microphone. As a verb: to annoy, or to plant a listening device. Mostly informal.
Etymology & Origin
English — Origin & History
Of uncertain origin, possibly from Middle English 'bugge' ('something frightening'); the 'insect' sense dates from the 17th century, the 'defect' sense from the late 19th.
Synonyms
- tease
- badger
- harass
- pester
- beleaguer
- intercept
- glitch
- hemipteran
- microbe
- wiretap
Related Words
- stink
- sucks
- bugs
- dnieper
- vistula
- tracker
- herbie
- sap
- insect
- pest
Common Collocations
- software bug
- stomach bug
- fix a bug
- bug in the system
- bug someone
- catch a bug
Word Forms
bug (n); bugs (pl); bug (v); bugged; bugging
Word Tools
Literary Heritage
“To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
/To thine own self be true/
“Be honest with yourself — and as naturally as night follows day, you will be unable to be false to others.”
“I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too?”
/I'm nobody! Who are you?/
“I am nobody — and that quiet anonymity is more honest than the noise of public fame.”
Images
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Language information
- Language
- English
- English
- Script
- Latin
- Family
- Indo-European
- Speakers
- 1.5B