bug out
A rapid retreat, a routA rapid retreat, a rout.
» It really bugged me out at first.
Tatoeba contributors · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FRMeaning
1 senses(slang)A rapid retreat, a rout.
Examples
8 sentencesIt really bugged me out at first.
John looked himself in a mirror and his eyes bugged out.
Don't forget to zip up your tent to keep bugs out.
I have an ingrown toenail that's bugging the shit out of me.
Anna tried to shoo the June bug out of her room but it kept flying in circles.
Origin
Attested 1950, popularized in the Korean War (1950–53) in such phrases as “bug-out fever”Attested 1950, popularized in the Korean War (1950–53) in such phrases as “bug-out fever” (rout) and “the big bug out” (November/December 1950 retreat) and entered civilian slang by mid 1950s. Likely originated in World War II, perhaps based on 1930s cartoons featuring bugs fleeing an impending foot or boot. Ultimately based on the rapid, disorderly flight of bugs when discovered, particularly their scattering if several are discovered at once, such as under a rock or can. Compare chicken out and roach out.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Dictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.