bug

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 [C] (especially AmE) any small insect 2 [C] (informal) an infectious illness that is usually fairly mild: a flu bug * There's a stomach bug going round (= people are catching it from each other). * I picked up a bug in the office. 3 (usually the...bug) [sing.] (informal) an enthusiastic interest in sth such as a sport or a hobby: the travel bug * She was never interested in fitness before but now she's been bitten by the bug. 4 [C] (informal) a small hidden device for listening to other people's conversations: They planted a bug in his hotel room. 5 [C] a fault in a machine, especially in a computer system or program seealsoTHEMILLENNIUMBUG verb [VN] 1 to put a special device (= a bug) somewhere in order to listen secretly to other people's conversations: They bugged her hotel room. * They were bugging his telephone conversations. * a bugging device 2 (informal) to annoy or irritate sb: Stop bugging me! * It's something that's been bugging me a lot recently. * She's really beginning to bug me. IDIOMS bug off! (AmE, spoken) a rude way of telling sb to go away