on the bug

[Grant Barrett]

I'm not sure if these are the same meaning because there's really not
enough context. The phrase you quoted is from Carson McCuller's "The
Heart Is a Lonely Hunter." A quick search on Amazon full text doesn't
turn up any more uses of the term in the book.

For what they're worth:

HDAS has the following under "bug" n., second sense: "a hoax; esp. in
phr. *to put the bug on* to fool or tease." First cite is 1848.

DARE has an illuminating citation under "bug," n., sense 14, for the
phrase "put the bug on": 1968 DARE (Qu. Y6.._To put pressure on
somebody to do something he ought to have done_).

Another one under "bug," n. sense 4, "Used in ref to dishonesty or
deceit: {p} usu in phr _put a (or the) bug on: A trick or hoax....
1967 DARE (Qu. Ii33, _To get an advantage over somebody by tricky
means: "I don't trust him, he's always trying to ______."_)

So perhaps the man was selling scalped or fake tickets, or using high-
pressure sales tactics?

Also for what it's worth (maybe nothing), there's a use of "on the
bug tip" in a Biz Markie song called "Boogers" that might be related.
I have no other cites for it and the meaning is not clear, but given
the other kinds of tip one can be on, perhaps it means, "the inside
scoop on weirdness or craziness."

The lyrics:

http://www.ohhla.com/anonymous/bizmark/goin_off/boogers.biz.txt

Grant Barrett
gbarret at worldnewyork.org

On Jul 7, 2005, at 05:24, Paul Frank wrote:

> What does "on the bug" mean? An English-Chinese translator wants to
> know, and I don't know the answer.
>
> " They went down to Madame Reba's Palace of Sweet
> Pleasure. And father, this is sure one bad, wicked
> place. [They got a man sells tickets on the bug] -but
> they also got these strutting, bad-blood, tail-shaking
> nigger girls."