gremlin

• 源自民间传说的小型捣蛋生物，常被用来解释机械故障或无法解释的差错。

A noun from folklore referring to a small, mischievous creature, often blamed for causing mechanical problems or unexplained faults.

1. Mythical creatureB1informal

   A mischievous creature from folklore, often blamed for causing problems with machinery or technology.

   小妖精

   • The pilots joked that a gremlin was responsible for the engine failure.
   • Old tales describe gremlins as small, impish beings that love to tinker with gadgets.
   • During the war, soldiers blamed gremlins for mysterious mechanical issues with their planes.

   同义词goblinhobgoblinimpsprite

2. Source of troubleB2informal

   A person or thing that causes unexpected problems or difficulties, especially in a playful or annoying way.

   麻烦制造者

   • The invisible gremlin of my computer crashes always appears during important work.
   • He's a little gremlin when it comes to keeping the kitchen clean.
   • What kind of gremlin twisted all the cables behind the desk?

   同义词bugglitchimpsnagtroublemaker