bug

I UK [bʌɡ] / US noun
Word forms "bug":
singular bug plural bugs
*

1) [countable] informal an infectious but usually minor illness

a flu bug

get/pick up a bug (= develop an illness):

You must have picked up a bug on holiday.

2) [countable] computing a minor fault in a computer system or in a computer program

The new program still has some bugs in it.

3) [singular] informal a sudden strong enthusiasm for doing something

be bitten by the travel/fitness/cooking etc bug (= to suddenly become enthusiastic about it):

I'd been bitten by the back-packing bug.

4) [countable] a small piece of electronic equipment used for secretly listening to what people are saying

Detectives had planted (= put) a bug in his hotel room.

5) [countable] informal an insect

There were bugs crawling all over the kitchen floor.

II UK [bʌɡ] / US verb [transitive]
Word forms "bug":
present tense I/you/we/they bug he/she/it bugs present participle bugging past tense bugged past participle bugged

1)

a) informal to annoy someone

It really bugs me when people smoke in restaurants.

b) to continue asking someone to do something in a way that annoys them

bug someone to do something:

She keeps bugging me to paint the kitchen.

2) to hide a small piece of electronic equipment somewhere so that you can secretly listen to what people are saying

He was convinced that his office was bugged.

Phrasal verbs:

- bug off

- bug out