wə:m n. & v. --n. 1
any of
various types of creeping or burrowing
invertebrate animals
with long
slender bodies
and no limbs,
esp. segmented in rings or parasitic in
the intestines or tissues. 2 the long slender
larva of an
insect, esp. in
fruit or
wood. 3 (in pl.) intestinal or
other internal parasites. 4 a
blindworm or
slow-worm. 5 a
maggot supposed to
eat dead bodies in the grave. 6 an
insignificant or
contemptible person. 7 a the
spiral part of a
screw. b a
short screw
working in a worm-gear. 8 the spiral
pipe of a still in
which the
vapour is cooled and condensed. 9 the
ligament under a dog's
tongue. --v. 1 intr. & tr. (often refl.)
move with a crawling
motion (wormed
through the bushes; wormed
our way through the bushes). 2 intr. & refl. (foll. by into)
insinuate oneself into a person's
favour,
confidence, etc. 3 tr. (foll. by out)
obtain (a
secret etc.) by
cunning persistence (managed to worm the
truth out of them). 4 tr.
cut the worm of (a dog's tongue). 5 tr.
rid (a
plant or
dog etc.) of worms. 6 tr. Naut.
make (a
rope etc.)
smooth by
winding thread between the strands. øfood
for worms a dead person. worm-cast a
convoluted mass of
earth left on the
surface by a burrowing
earthworm. worm-fishing
fishing with worms for bait. worm-gear an
arrangement of a toothed
wheel worked by a revolving spiral. worm-hole a
hole left by the passage of a worm. worm-seed 1
seed used to
expel intestinal worms. 2 a plant e.g.
santonica bearing this seed. worm's-eye
view a view as
seen from below or from a
humble position. worm-wheel the wheel of a worm-gear. a (or even a) worm will
turn the meekest will
resist or
retaliate if pushed
too far. øøwormer n. wormlike adj. [OE wyrm f. Gmc]
