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WORM

abbr.

Computers write once, read many

worm

(wûrm)

1. Any of various invertebrates, especially an annelid, flatworm, nematode, or nemertean, having a long, flexible, rounded or flattened body, often without obvious appendages.

2. Any of various crawling insect larvae, such as a grub or a caterpillar, having a soft elongated body.

3. Any of various other animals, such as a shipworm or a slowworm, having a long slender limbless body.

a. Something, such as the thread of a screw or the spiral condenser in a still, that resembles a worm in form or appearance.

b. The spirally threaded shaft of a worm gear.

5. An insidiously tormenting or devouring force: “felt the black worm of treachery growing in his heart” (Mario Puzo).

6. A person regarded as pitiable or contemptible.

7. worms Medicine Infestation of the intestines or other parts of the body with parasitic worms; helminthiasis.

8. Computers A malicious program that replicates itself until it fills all of the storage space on a drive or network.

v. wormed, worm·ing, worms

v. tr.

1. To make (one's way) with the sinuous crawling motion of a worm.

2. To work (one's way or oneself) subtly or gradually; insinuate: She wormed her way into his confidence.

3. To elicit by artful or devious means. Usually used with out of: wormed a confession out of the suspect.

4. To treat for intestinal worms: wormed the dog.

5. Nautical To wrap yarn or twine spirally around (rope).

v. intr.

1. To move in a manner suggestive of a worm.

2. To make one's way by artful or devious means: He can't worm out of this situation.

[Middle English, from Old English wurm, variant of wyrm; see wer-² in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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