subs. (thieves’).—1. A breast pin.
1859. G. W. MATSELL, Vocabulum; or, The Rogue’s Lexicon. ‘A Hundred Stretches Hence,’ 124.
| And where … | |
| The chips, the fawneys, chatty-feeders, | |
| The BUGS, the boungs, and well-filled readers. |
2. (old Irish).—An Englishman. [GROSE: ‘because BUGS were introduced into Ireland by Englishmen!!’]
3. (American).—A beetle: the term is not confined, as in England, to the domestic pest, but is applied to all insects of the Coleoptera order; the Cimex lectularius is, in the Southern States, known as the CHINCH: cf. the Winchester usage of BUG = an insect, whether of the Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, or any other order. Hence BUG-HUNTING = entomology; and BUG-HUNTER = an entomologist.
1642. ROGERS, Naaman the Syrian, 74. Do not all as much and more wonder at God’s rare workmanship in the Ant, the poorest BUGGE that creeps.
1888. Grass Valley (Cal.) Tidings. Entomology, or bugology, is now taught to some extent in our public schools. This is well, and is of use. The children ought to learn about the BUGS that are destructive to useful vegetation. It is better to learn much about BUGS than so much about how to solve those arithmetical problems that will never face anybody in the practical affairs of life.
1888. Chicago Daily Inter Ocean, March. The Insane Asylum Board some time ago discontinued a bug-killer’s employment, and the doctor avers that the old hospital building is swarming with cockroaches, and that these BUGS will soon be large and fat enough to carry out the inmates and take their food and clothes.
1900. KIPLING, Stalky & Co., 3. I conciliated Hartopp. Told him that you’d read papers to BUG-HUNTERS if he let you join, Beetle. Told him you liked butter-flies, Turkey. Anyhow, I soothed the Hartogges, and we’re BUG-HUNTERS now.’
4. (American).—In various combinations, as BIG BUG (q.v.), a man of wealth or distinction; CATTLE-BUG = a wealthy stockraiser; GOLD-BUG, a rich man; FIRE-BUG = an incendiary, etc.
1567. EDWARDS, Damon and Pithias [DODSLEY, Old Plays (HAZLITT), iv. 72]. [Here it is said a man may seem] a GREAT BUG.
1843. HALIBURTON (‘Sam Slick’), Sam Slick in England, xv. The great guns and BIG BUGS have to take in each other’s ladies. Ibid., 24. Pick out the BIG BUGS and see what sort of stuff they’re made of.
1856. WHITCHER, The Widow Bedott Papers, 301. [Miss Samson Savage is] one o’ the BIG BUGS,—that is, she ’s got more money than a’ most any body else in town.
1857. New York Times, Feb. The free-and-easy manner in which the hair-brained Sir Robert Peel described some of the BIG BUGS at Moscow has got him into difficulty.
1888. St. Louis Globe Democrat, March 5. ‘Would Senator Allison’s well-known views on silver coinage operate materially against him in New York.’ ‘I think not; I do not think the feeling against silver is anything like as strong as it was. Of course, a few GOLD-BUGS might fight him, but any of the men I have mentioned are reasonably certain to carry New York.’
5. (old).—(a) An object of terror; a goblin: also BUGBEAR, BUGABOO (q.v.) and (provincial) BOGGY-BO. BUG-WORDS = ugly words; disgusting language. Hence (b), in modern usage BUGBEAR = anything causing fright, annoyance, or even inconvenience.
1544. ASCHAM, Toxophilus, 61. Which be the very BUGGES that the Psalme meaneth on, walking in the night and in corners.
1572. Lavaterus de Spectris, 21. Afterwards they tell them, that those which they saw, were BUGS, witches, and hags.
1585. FLEMING, The Nomenclator, 471a, s.v. Lemures nocturni. Hobgoblins, or night walking spirits: BLACKE BUGS.
1593. SHAKESPEARE, Taming of the Shrew, i. 2. Tush, tush! fear boys with BUGS. Ibid. (1605), Cymbeline, v. 3. Those that would die or ere resist, are grown The mortal BUGS o’ the field.
1599. JOSEPH HALL, Satires, IV. Care we for all these BUGS of idle fears.
1603. KYD, The Spanish Tragedy [DODSLEY, Old Plays (REED), iii, 234].
| This hand shall hale them downe to deepest hell, | |
| Where none but furies, BUGS, and tortures dwell. |
1611. COTGRAVE, Dictionarie, s.v. Cheval de trompette. One thats not afraid of shadowes; one whom no big, nor BUGS WORDS can terrifie.
1687. SEDLEY, Bellamira, i. 1. Merry. You are resolved to go to her again; notwithstanding the damn’d trick she serv’d you with the Sea Captain and your noble resolution to the contrary? I’ll see her hang’d first! No, tho she beg it a thousand times, and with a thousand tears, I’ll n’e’r go near her! Keepw. Did I say such BUG-WORDS?
1696. BEHN, The Younger Brother. Tere. But heark ye, my fellow-adventurer, are you not marry’d? Geo. Marry’d?—that’s a BUG-WORD—prithee, if thou hast any such design, keep on thy mask, lest I be tempted to wickedness.
1704. WARD, Hudibras Redivivus, II. v.
| I tell you, sir, I know your creature; | |
| I say, sir, she’s a whore, no better. | |
| And you’re a pimp to vindicate her. | |
| At these provoking BUGBEAR WORDS, | |
| Amidst the crowd, both drew their swords. |
1704. MATHEW HENRY, Bible, Psalm xci, 5. Thou shalt not nede to be afraid of any BUGS by night.
1706. E. COLES, English Dictionary, s.v. BUGABO. formerly … an ugly wide-mouthed picture, carried about at the May games.
d. 1710. R. DUKE, To a Roman Catholic on Marriage.
| Censure and penances, excommunication, | |
| Are BUGBEAR WORDS, to fight a bigot nation. |
Adj. (old).—Proud; conceited: e.g., ‘BUG as a lord.’
Verb (old).—1. Among journeymen hatters = to exchange the dear material for that of less value: e.g., when hats were made of fur and wool with a small portion of beaver’s fur to steal the beaver, and substitute an equal weight of some cheaper ingredient.
2. (thieves’).—To bribe: bailiffs accepting money to delay service were said TO BUG the writ.
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. BUGGING, c. taking Money by Bailiffs and Serjeants of the Defendant not to Arrest him.
3. (thieves’).—To give; to hand over; to deliver.
1819. J. H. VAUX, A Vocabulary of the Flash Language. ‘He BUG’D me a quid.’ ‘BUG OVER the rag.’
TO TAKE BUG, verb. phr. (old).—To take offence.
THAT BEATS THE BUGS, phr. (American).—A high meed of praise; cf. THAT BEATS COCK-FIGHTING.
TO SWEAR BY NO BUGS, verb. phr. (old).—To swear earnestly (i.e., by no mere empty things): also TO SWEAR BY NO BEGGARS.
1650. FULLER, A Pisgah Sight of Palestine, II., ix., 8. Caligula … bid his horse to supper, gave him wine to drink in cups of estate, set barlygraines of golde before him to eate, and SWORE BY NO BUGS that hee would make him a Consul.
AS SNUG AS A BUG IN A RUG (or blanket), phr. (common).—As snug as may be.
