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. food 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. wormer n. wormlike adj.
[ OE wyrm f. Gmc ]