bug

Everyday

1. A small insect or other tiny crawling creature, like a beetle or an ant. tree →
2. A germ that makes you mildly ill, like a cold or stomach bug. tree →
3. A mistake in a computer program that makes it go wrong. tree →
4. (verb) To annoy someone again and again. tree →
5. A tiny hidden microphone used to listen secretly; (verb) to hide one. tree →
6. A sudden strong interest: «the reading bug». tree →
7. Bug juice is slang for a weak, nasty drink that is not worth much. tree →

In the lessons

In science, «bug» is an everyday word for insects; scientists use «true bugs» only for some insects with sucking mouths. In health it means a germ: «a tummy bug». In computing it is an error to find and fix. In everyday talk «stop bugging me» means stop annoying me. Phrases: «catch a bug», «a stomach bug», «fix a bug», «stop bugging me».

Examples

• We found a green bug on the leaf. tree →
• Ladybugs are bugs that eat aphids. tree →
• I stayed home with a stomach bug. tree →
• Wash your hands so you don't catch a bug. tree →
• There was a bug in my game, so it kept crashing. tree →
• My little brother keeps bugging me while I read. tree →
• After the trip, Sam caught the travel bug. tree →
• Don't pick up bugs you don't know; some can sting. tree →
• The Spider came, and there he found a cricket, a beetle, and a bug. tree →

Note

Countable: a bug, two bugs. Past form: bugged. Spiders are often called bugs in everyday talk, but they are not insects (they have eight legs). «Bug» meaning annoy is informal. «Ladybug» (US) = «ladybird» (UK).