worm

== English == === Alternative forms === worme (obsolete) === Etymology === From Middle English werm, wirm, worm, worme, wrim, wurm, wyrm, wyrme, from Old English weorm, wurm, wyrm, from Proto-West Germanic *wurmi, from Proto-Germanic *wurmiz (“worm; snake”), from Proto-Indo-European *wr̥mis (“worm; larva”), possibly from *wer- (“to turn”). Doublet of vermin and wyrm, the latter of which is a fairly recent borrowing directly from the Old English. (computing): First computer usage by John Brunner in his 1975 book The Shockwave Rider. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /wɜːm/ (US) enPR: wûrm, IPA(key): /wɝm/ Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)m Homophone: wyrm === Noun === worm (plural worms) A generally tubular invertebrate of the annelid phylum; an earthworm. More loosely, any of various tubular invertebrates resembling annelids but not closely related to them, such as velvet worms, acorn worms, flatworms, or roundworms. See Appendix:English worms. (archaic or poetic) Any creeping or crawling animal, such as a snake (cf. “dragon”; blindworm, slowworm, “legless lizard”), snail, or caterpillar. a. 1398, John Trevisa, transl. Bartholomeus Anglicus as De Proprietatibus Rerum (MS BL Add. 27944), Vol. I, p. 628: A forlyued cok leiþ eiren in his laste elde... and ȝif any venemous worme sittiþ on broode þerevppon in þe canyculer dayes, þerof is igendrid... a cocatrice. 1561, Geneva Bible, Acts 28:3-4,[1] And when Paul had gathered a nomber of stickes, & laid them on the fyre, there came a viper out of the heat, and leapt on his hand. Now when the Barbarians sawe the worme hang on his hand, they said among them selues This man surely is a murtherer, whome, thogh he hathe escaped the sea, yet Vengeance hathe not suffred to liue. (informal or poetic, loosely) A maggot or any other insect larva with similar shape and behavior. (archaic or poetic) A dragon, today especially Germanic dragon, more often of the serpentine or wingless type, for example sea serpent, but also any kind of dragon. a. 1398, John Trevisa, transl. Bartholomeus Anglicus as De Proprietatibus Rerum (MS BL Add. 27944), Vol. I, p. 628: Synonym: wyrm (fantasy, science fiction) Either a mythical "dragon" (especially wingless), a gigantic sea serpent, or a creature that resembles a Mongolian death worm. A contemptible or devious being. (computing) A self-replicating program that propagates through a network, differing from a virus in usually lacking any destructive effects. (cricket) A graphical representation of the total runs scored across a number of overs. Anything helical, especially the thread of a screw. A spiral instrument or screw, often like a double corkscrew, used for drawing balls from firearms. The spiral wire of a corkscrew. (anatomy) A muscular band in the tongue of some animals, such as dogs; the lytta. The condensing tube of a still, often curved and wound to save space. A short revolving screw whose threads drive, or are driven by, a worm wheel or rack by gearing into its teeth. (figuratively) An internal tormentor; something that gnaws or afflicts one’s mind with remorse. (mathematics) A strip of linked tiles sharing parallel edges in a tiling. (anatomy) The lytta. (preceded by definite article) A dance, or dance move, in which the dancer lies on the floor and undulates the body horizontally thereby moving forwards. ==== Usage notes ==== It is common to use the plural form worms to refer to intestinal or other internal parasites. Although the use of the "worm" to mean "dragon" or "serpent" is archaic, those meanings are in current use in the word "wyrm" which is a doublet of "worm". Wyrm is a fairly recent borrowing directly from the Old English. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== ==== References ==== === Verb === worm (third-person singular simple present worms, present participle worming, simple past and past participle wormed) (transitive) To make (one's way) with a crawling motion. (intransitive) To move with one's body dragging the ground. (intransitive, figuratively) To work one's way by artful or devious means. (transitive, figuratively) To work (one's way or oneself) (into) gradually or slowly; to insinuate. (often followed by out) To effect, remove, drive, draw, or the like, by slow and secret means. (transitive, figuratively, in “worm out of”) To drag out of, to get information that someone is reluctant or unwilling to give (through artful or devious means or by pleading or asking repeatedly). (transitive, nautical) To fill in the contlines of (a rope) before parcelling and serving. (transitive) To deworm (an animal). (transitive) To cut the worm, or lytta, from under the tongue of (a dog, etc.) for the purpose of checking a disposition to gnaw, and formerly supposed to guard against canine madness. (transitive) To clean by means of a worm; to draw a wad or cartridge from, as a firearm. ==== Translations ==== === See also === === References === [5] The Free Dictionary, Farlex Inc., 2010. === Anagrams === mrow == Cornish == === Adjective === worm soft mutation of gorm mixed mutation after 'th of gorm == Dutch == === Alternative forms === wurm === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ʋɔrm/ Hyphenation: worm Rhymes: -ɔrm === Etymology 1 === From Middle Dutch worm, from Old Dutch *wurm, *worm, from Proto-Germanic *wurmiz, from Proto-Indo-European *wr̥mis. Compare English worm, West Frisian wjirm, German Wurm, Danish orm. ==== Noun ==== worm m (plural wormen, diminutive wormpje n) worm, vernacular term for various, mostly legless invertebrates; often nematodes or legless arthropod larvae. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Descendants ===== Afrikaans: wurm Berbice Creole Dutch: worum Negerhollands: worm, wurum ===== See also ===== pier === Etymology 2 === See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form. ==== Verb ==== worm inflection of wormen: first-person singular present indicative (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative imperative == Middle English == === Alternative forms === werm, wirm, worme, wrim, wurm, wyrm, wyrme === Etymology === From Old English wyrm, from Proto-West Germanic *wurmi, from Proto-Germanic *wurmiz, from Proto-Indo-European *wr̥mis. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /wurm/, /wɛrm/, (uncommon) /wirm/ === Noun === worm (plural wormes or (mostly early) wormen) A worm or insect resembling one: An insect that infests organic matter (e.g. a maggot) A parasitic worm (especially of the stomach) A worm symbolising regret or malice. A snake or snakish monster: A dragon (mythological lizard) A monster that torments sinners in Hell. Any pestilential or creeping creature. A pauper, miser, or other contemptuous individual. (Christianity, rare) Satan, the Devil. (veterinary medicine, rare) A muscle under a dog's tongue. ==== Declension ==== ==== Related terms ==== glouworm wormwode ==== Descendants ==== English: worm Scots: worm, wirm ==== References ==== “wǒrm, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2 May 2018. == Portuguese == === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from English worm. === Pronunciation === === Noun === worm m (plural worms) (computer security) worm (self-replicating program) === Further reading === “worm”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026