bot
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.a computer program that performs repetitive tasks automatically, often pretending to be a human user.
n.an autonomous or semi-autonomous software agent designed to execute repetitive tasks, frequently within a network environment.
Simple“The website uses a bot to answer simple customer questions in the chat.”
In context“Security experts identified a network of malicious bots designed to overwhelm the server with fake traffic during the holiday sale.”
UsageOften used as a suffix in compounds like 'chatbot' or 'spambot'.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
n.a character in a video game that is controlled by the computer instead of a person.
n.a computer-controlled non-player character (NPC) in a multiplayer video game that simulates the actions of a human opponent or teammate.
Simple“I practiced my shooting skills against bots before joining a real match online.”
In context“The developers improved the enemy bots to make them behave more like strategic human players in the higher difficulty settings.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
n.a short way of saying 'robot'.
n.a colloquial clipping of 'robot', referring to a physical mechanical entity.
Simple“The students built a small bot that could navigate through a maze.”
In context“The laboratory is testing a swarm of miniature bots designed for search and rescue operations in unstable environments.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to use a computer program to do work or play a game for you automatically.
v.to employ automated scripts or software agents to perform actions, often in a way that violates a platform's terms of service.
Simple“He was banned from the game because he was caught botting to get more gold.”
In context“The account was flagged after the system detected it was botting thousands of likes on promotional posts within a few minutes.”