bug out
Britishverb
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Bulge, as in The news will make her eyes bug out with astonishment . This expression was originally used literally for bulging eyes and later used more loosely as a sign of astonishment. [ Colloquial ; mid-1800s]
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Leave, run out, as in This conference is a bore; I think I'll bug out . This usage originated as military slang for deserting and today is used more loosely. [ Slang ; c. 1950]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The problem is that’s the kind of value that makes Scrooge McDuck dollar signs bug out of Hollywood executives’ heads.
From Salon ● Mar. 26, 2026
When I booked a Tesla for my recent Miami trip, the daily rate didn’t cause my eyes to bug out.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 16, 2021
I had the camera app bug out a few times, but generally it's been fast and stable.
From The Verge ● Aug. 18, 2017
While those sites are busy patching their systems and checking for breaches, and while you are changing your passwords, I’ve got some more bad news for you: There is an even worse bug out there.
From Slate ● Apr. 14, 2014
Under the shelter of the cafeteria roof’s overhang, Jessica was waiting, her eyes about to bug out of their sockets.
From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
