Worm

werm, n. Orig., any creeping or crawling animal: a serpent, caterpillar, snail, etc.; any small, creeping animal or reptile, either entirely without feet, or with very short ones. pi. Animals which live and breed in the intestines of other animals. Figuratively, something that gnaws or afflicts one's conscience anything spiral, vermiculated, or resembling a worm; the thread of a screw, a spiral instrument for drawing cartridges from fire-arms a small, worm-like ligament under a dog's tongue a spiral metallic pipe through which vapor pa es in distillation. (Mach.) A 6hort, revolving screw, the threads of which drive a wheel by gearing into its £m, fame, far, pa or opera, fare end, WORTH teeth.— v. u [wormed (wSrmd), worming.] Tb work slowly, gradually, and secretly, —v. To effect, remove, drive, etc., by slow and secret means, to draw a wad and cartridge from (a fire-arm) to cut the ligament, called a worm, from under the tongue of (a dog, etc.), to check a disposition to gnaw to wind rope, yarn, etc., spirally round to wind with spun-yarn. [ME. and D. AS. wyron, Ic. ormr, G. wurm, Goth, waurms, L. vermis, Skr. knmij Lithuan. kirmis, a worm crimson, carmine, kermes, vermes, q. v.); perh. L. curvus, curved, E. curve, circle, squirm, swarm.] — To worm one's self into. To enter gradually by arts and insinuations. — Worm'y, a. [-ier -iest.] Containing a worm abounding with worms like a Gnawed worm; earthy;by worms.groveling.— -fence, — Worm'-eat'en,n. A zigzag-et'n,fence,a. other.made —by seed,placingn. A the plant ends whose of the see drails has up on the prop-each erty of expelling worms from the stomach, bowels, and intestines. Wormwood. werm'wo^d, n. A plant of several species having a bitter nauseous taste. [ME. wormwod, AS. wermod, D. wermoet, G. wermuth, mind-preserver; AS. werian, OD. and MHG. weren, to protect, defend and AS. mod, OD. moet, MHG. muot = E. mood, mind, courage not worm or wood A Worn. See Wear.