WORM

noun any annelid.

2. worm ·noun an insect larva.

3. worm ·noun the thread of a screw.

4. worm ·noun a being debased and despised.

5. worm ·vi to work slowly, gradually, and secretly.

6. worm ·noun ·same·as vermes.

7. worm ·noun any helminth; an entozoon.

8. worm ·noun anything spiral, vermiculated, or resembling a worm.

9. worm ·noun an internal tormentor; something that gnaws or afflicts one's mind with remorse.

10. worm ·vt to effect, remove, drive, draw, or the like, by slow and secret means;

— often followed by out.

11. worm ·vt to clean by means of a worm; to draw a wad or cartridge from, as a firearm. ·see worm, ·noun 5 (b).

12. worm ·noun a spiral instrument or screw, often like a double corkscrew, used for drawing balls from firearms.

13. worm ·noun a creeping or a crawling animal of any kind or size, as a serpent, caterpillar, snail, or the like.

14. worm ·noun the condensing tube of a still, often curved and wound to economize space. ·see ·illust. of still.

15. worm ·noun a certain muscular band in the tongue of some animals, as the dog; the lytta. ·see lytta.

xvi. worm ·noun to wind rope, yarn, or other material, spirally round, between the strands of, as a cable; to wind with spun yarn, as a small rope.

xvii. worm ·noun any small creeping animal or reptile, either entirely without feet, or with very short ones, including a great variety of animals; as, an earthworm; the blindworm.

xviii. worm ·noun a short revolving screw, the threads of which drive, or are driven by, a worm wheel by gearing into its teeth or cogs. ·see ·illust. of worm gearing, below.

xix. worm ·noun to cut the worm, or lytta, from under the tongue of, as a dog, for the purpose of checking a disposition to gnaw. the operation was formerly supposed to guard against canine madness.