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# pest

noun (a pest, pests)

«pest» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A pest is an insect or animal that harms crops, food, gardens or homes, such as rats, mice, cockroaches or greenfly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pest/#m1)
2. A pest is also an annoying person, especially a child who keeps bothering you. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pest/#m2)

### In the lessons

In science and farming pests eat crops or spread germs, and people use traps, sprays or natural enemies (like ladybirds) to control them. In stories a little brother may be called «a pest». Phrases: «pest control», «garden pests», «be a pest», «stop being a pest».

### Examples

- Rabbits are a big pest for farmers in Australia. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pest/#x1)
- Slugs are pests that eat lettuces. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pest/#x2)
- Ladybirds eat aphids, which are garden pests. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pest/#x3)
- We called pest control to get rid of the mice. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pest/#x4)
- My little sister is being a pest again! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pest/#x5)
- Keep food covered so pests don't get in. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pest/#x6)
- Stop being a pest and let me finish my homework. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pest/#x7)
- The Pest Maiden arrives, and thrusts her arm in at his window. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pest/#x8)

### Note

Countable: pest, pests. «Pesticide» is a chemical to kill pests; it can be poisonous, so children should never touch it. Calling someone a pest is mild and often joking, not very rude.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «pest» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pest/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«pest» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/pest.html) on Mova free.