bugnoun
uk/bʌɡ/us/bʌɡ/bug noun (INSECT)
B1 [ C ] a very small insect
Examples
- Hang on - there's a bug in your hair - let me get it out for you.
- Will this spray get rid of those little black bugs that are attacking my shrubs?
- We lifted the stone to see if there were any bugs or worms underneath.
- There was a bug was crawling across the carpet, and the cat ate it!
- He used to collect beetles and bugs from the garden and study them under the microscope.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Insect names
- anopheles
- ant
- aphid
- beastie
- bedbug
- creepy-crawly
- daddy longlegs
- deathwatch beetle
- dragonfly
- earwig
- housefly
- insect
- ladybird
- lice
- lightning bug
- red admiral
- silverfish
- stick insect
- termite
- tortoiseshell butterfly
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bug noun (ILLNESS)
B2 [ C ] informal a bacteria or a virus causing an illness that is usually not serious:
More examples
- Kids get all kinds of bugs at school.
- A nasty flu bug's going round the school at the moment.
- We never found out what was wrong with her - it was just some kind of mystery bug.
- Don't cough on me - I don't want to catch your bugs, thanks!
- He had a strange bug that caused chest pains and general tiredness.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Bacteria, moulds, germs & viruses
- adenovirus
- antimicrobial
- bacteriology
- bacteriophage
- C. difficile
- E. coli
- fungal
- fungoid
- fungus
- germ
- HIV-positive
- listeria
- microbe
- microorganism
- mould
- organism
- probiotic
- shitake mushroom
- taenia
- West Nile virus
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bug noun (COMPUTER PROBLEM)
B2 [ C ] a mistake or problem in a computer program:
More examples
- If you get a bug in your system, please report it as soon as possible so it can be fixed.
- This program keeps crashing - there must be bug somewhere.
- The software producers are currently trying to fix two significant bugs.
- This game keeps freezing - am I doing something wrong or do you think it's a bug of some sort?
- They've produced a downloadable patch that will repair the bug in the program.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Faults and mistakes
- a blot on sb's character idiom
- aberration
- Achilles heel
- adrift
- black mark
- chink
- clinker
- errata
- erratum
- error
- failing
- false alarm
- false move
- irregularity
- lapse
- loophole
- misprint
- misspell
- mistake
- solecism
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bug noun (DEVICE)
[ C ] a very small device fixed on to a phone or hidden in a room, that allows you to listen to what people are saying without them knowing
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
International relations: spying and espionage
- agent
- agent provocateur
- counter-espionage
- counterintelligence
- debug
- deep state
- intelligence
- MI5
- MI6
- on the inside idiom
- operative
- phone tapping
- scout
- snoop
- spook
- spy
- spy on sb/sth
- tail
- the CIA
- wired up
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bug noun (ENTHUSIASM)
[ S ] informal a very strong enthusiasm for something:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Excitement, interest, energy and enthusiasm
- a new lease of life idiom
- alacrity
- animation
- ardour
- avid
- flap
- frisky
- frisson
- get-up-and-go
- glamour
- gusto
- meaty
- shiver (up and) down your spine idiom
- sparkle
- spice
- spirit
- sprightly
- stimulation
- zap
- zest
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bugverb [ T ]
uk/bʌɡ/us/bʌɡ/-gg-bug verb [ T ] (ANNOY)
informal to annoy or worry someone:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Causing feelings of anger and displeasure
- aggravate
- aggrieve
- alienate
- anger
- annoy
- give sb the shits idiom
- go too far idiom
- goat
- grate
- hack
- hack sb off
- joke
- nose
- ruffle
- ruffle sb's feathers idiom
- set sb's teeth on edge idiom
- step/tread on sb's toes idiom
- stick in sb's craw idiom
- tee
- toe
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bug verb [ T ] (HIDE DEVICE)
to place or hide a listening device inside something:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
International relations: spying and espionage
- agent
- agent provocateur
- counter-espionage
- counterintelligence
- debug
- deep state
- intelligence
- MI5
- MI6
- on the inside idiom
- operative
- phone tapping
- scout
- snoop
- spook
- spy
- spy on sb/sth
- tail
- the CIA
- wired up
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