Insects might be small, but they’re often used in everyday language. This post explores various idioms related to bugs that add fun and color to our expressions. Whether you’re a language learner or just curious, these idioms will offer you a quirky glimpse into English.
Bug Idioms
Here are 20 bug idioms in English with meaning and example sentence for each.
1. Butterflies in your stomach
Meaning: Feeling nervous
Example: He had butterflies in his stomach before the speech.
2. Busy as a bee
Meaning: Very busy
Example: She’s as busy as a bee during the holidays.
3. Ants in your pants
Meaning: Can’t sit still
Example: The kids have ants in their pants today.
4. Snug as a bug
Meaning: Very comfortable
Example: I was snug as a bug in my new bed.
5. Bee’s knees
Meaning: Excellent, high quality
Example: This pie is the bee’s knees.
6. Fly on the wall
Meaning: An unnoticed observer
Example: I’d love to be a fly on the wall in their meeting.
7. Make a beeline for
Meaning: Go straight towards
Example: He made a beeline for the snacks.
8. Spider’s web of lies
Meaning: Complex, deceitful plot
Example: He spun a spider’s web of lies.
9. Drop like flies
Meaning: Fall down or fail rapidly
Example: Players began to drop like flies in the heat.
10. Wouldn’t hurt a fly
Meaning: Very gentle
Example: She’s so kind, wouldn’t hurt a fly.
11. Bee in your bonnet
Meaning: Obsessed with an idea
Example: He’s got a bee in his bonnet about that project.
12. Like moths to a flame
Meaning: Drawn to something irresistibly
Example: Tourists flock like moths to a flame to the festival.
13. Worm your way out of
Meaning: Escape a situation by cunning
Example: He wormed his way out of doing chores.
14. Have a fly in the ointment
Meaning: A small but irritating flaw
Example: The broken air conditioner was a fly in the ointment.
15. Throw a spider in the web
Meaning: Create complications
Example: Adding new rules will throw a spider in the web.
16. Fire ant temperament
Meaning: Quickly angered
Example: He’s known for his fire ant temperament.
17. Grasshopper mind
Meaning: Thoughts jumping from topic to topic
Example: She has a grasshopper mind during discussions.
18. Bugging someone
Meaning: Annoying someone
Example: Stop bugging your sister!
19. Cockroach of the conversation
Meaning: A topic that won’t go away
Example: That rumor is the cockroach of the conversation.
20. Waspish
Meaning: Easily irritated
Example: He’s waspish before his morning coffee.
