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   bug

   /bʌɡ/

   noun

   • 1. a harmful microorganism, typically a bacterium: informal "their ham was found to be contaminated with food bugs"
   • ▪ an illness caused by a microorganism: "he'd just recovered from a flu bug" Similar illnessailmentinfectiondiseasedisordersicknessafflictionmaladycomplaintupsetconditioninfirmityindispositionmalaisebacteriumgermvirusbacillusmicroorganismmicrobeinformal:lurgy
   • ▪ an enthusiastic interest in something: "they caught the sailing bug" Similar obsessionenthusiasmcrazefadmaniaragepassionfixationhobbyinterestpastimeinformal:thing
   • 2. a small insect: North American "a thick green scum which crawls with bugs, centipedes, and worse" Similar insectfleamitemidgeinformal:creepy-crawlybeastieminibeast
   • 3. an insect of a large order distinguished by having mouthparts that are modified for piercing and sucking.
   • 4. a concealed miniature microphone, used for secret eavesdropping or recording: "they cleaned out the bugs and wiretaps" Similar listening devicehidden microphonereceivertransmitterwirewiretapphone taptapinformal:bugging device
   • 5. an error in a computer program or system: "a custom program we used developed a bug" Similar faulterrordefectflawimperfectionfailingbreakdownvirusinformal:glitchgremlinsnarl-up

   verb

   • 1. conceal a miniature microphone in (a room or device) in order to listen to or record someone's conversations secretly: "their offices, homes, and telephones were bugged"
   • ▪ record or listen to (a conversation) using a concealed microphone: "she fears that her conversations were bugged" Similar recordtaplisten in oneavesdrop onspy onoverhearwiretaptapmonitorphone-tapinformal:snoop on
   • 2. annoy or bother (someone): informal "a persistent reporter was bugging me" Similar annoyirritatevexmake angrymake crossangerexasperateirkgallpiqueput outdispleaseget/put someone's back upantagonizeget on someone's nervesrub up the wrong wayruffleruffle someone's feathersmake someone's hackles riseraise someone's hacklesenrageinfuriatemaddenmake someone's blood boildrive to distractiongoadprovokeinformal:aggravatepeevehasslemiffrilenettleneedlegetget tohack offget under someone's skinget in someone's hairget someone's goatrattle someone's cagedrive mad/crazydrive round the bend/twistdrive up the wallmake someone see redwind upnarkget acrossget on someone's wickget up someone's noseput someone's nose out of jointgive someone the humptee offtick offburn uprankleridegravelbum outrarkvulgar slang:piss offget on someone's titsinformal, dated:give someone the pipget someone's dander uprare:exacerbatehumpraspOpposite pleasegratify

   Word Origin early 17th century: of unknown origin. Current verb senses date from the mid 20th century.

   Scrabble Points: 6

   • B

     3

   • U

     1

   • G

     2

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