SQUIRM


Meaning of SQUIRM in English

squirm /skwɜːm $ skwɜːrm/ BrE AmE verb [intransitive]

[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Origin: Perhaps copying the action ]

1 . to twist your body from side to side because you are uncomfortable or nervous, or to get free from something which is holding you SYN wriggle :

Christine squirmed uncomfortably in her chair.

The boy tried to squirm free.

2 . to feel very embarrassed or ashamed

squirm with

He made me squirm with embarrassment.

—squirm noun [singular]

• • •

THESAURUS

▪ move to go to a different place, or change the position of your body:

Sarah moved away from the window.

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Every time I move I get a pain in my left shoulder.

▪ sway to move slowly from one side to the other:

The branches swayed in the wind.

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Donny swayed drunkenly as he walked back to his car.

▪ rock to move repeatedly from one side to another, with small gentle movements:

He rocked backward and forward in his chair.

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The boat rocked from side to side with the waves.

▪ wobble to move unsteadily from side to side:

The bike wobbled a bit, but she soon got it under control.

▪ fidget to keep moving or playing with your fingers, hands, feet etc, because you are bored or nervous:

Diana fidgeted nervously with her pencil.

▪ squirm to make very small movements from side to side with your body, especially because you feel uncomfortable:

By the end of the hour, most of the children were squirming in their seats.

▪ wriggle to make small movements from side to side, especially in order to get into or out of something:

The dog wriggled under the fence and escaped into the street.

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She managed to wriggle into the dress, but it was much too tight.

▪ twitch if part of your body twitches, it makes small movements that you cannot control:

A muscle on Yang’s face twitched.

▪ stir written to make a movement – used especially when describing a situation in which no one moves, or someone wakes up:

In the village a dog barked but no one stirred

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The sleeping child stirred and opened her eyes.

▪ budge to move – used when you are trying hard to make something move, often without success:

The piano wouldn’t budge.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.