Meaning of bug in English

Table of contents

Verb
bug
Definitions
1. annoy persistently
Examples
- « The children teased the boy because of his stammer »
Derived terms
2. tap a telephone or telegraph wire to get information
Examples
- « The FBI was tapping the phone line of the suspected spy »
- « Is this hotel room bugged? »
Derived terms
Noun
bug
Etymology
early 17th century: of unknown origin. Current verb senses date from the early 20th century
Definitions
1. general term for any insect or similar creeping or crawling invertebrate
2. a fault or defect in a system or machine
3. a small hidden microphone
Examples
- « for listening secretly »
Derived terms
4. insects with sucking mouthparts and forewings thickened and leathery at the base
Examples
- « usually show incomplete metamorphosis »
5. a minute life form (especially a disease-causing bacterium)
Examples
- « the term is not in technical use »

Famous quotes

« I've always traveled, as a kid my parents moved me around, a different place in Germany every four years. But I got the travel bug when I was a kid, living in different countries. »
Dominic Monaghan
« My parents were really, really cool about supporting what I wanted to do at a really young age. I think I was about 10 when I caught the bug. They would drive me down to New York if there were auditions. When I was 12, I did this show on Broadway called 'High Society,' so we moved to New York for the run of that. »
Anna Kendrick
« I wasn't originally taking drama, but the drama teacher asked me to audition for Bye, Bye Birdie. I did and got the lead role. Initially I was kind of scared, but once I did it I got bitten by the bug and loved it. »
Kevin Richardson
« Your car should drive itself. It's amazing to me that we let humans drive cars... It's a bug that cars were invented before computers. »
Eric Schmidt
« I played a lot of other sports at school and just one day the golf bug bit me and I started playing serious golf from when I was ten years old. »
Retief Goosen