A creeping or a crawling animal of any kind or size, as a serpent, caterpillar, snail, or the like. (Archaic) "There came a viper out of the heat, and leapt on his hand. When the men of the country saw the worm hang on his hand, they said, This man must needs be a murderer.""'T is slander, Whose edge is sharper than the sword, whose tongue Outvenoms all the worms of Nile.""When Cerberus perceived us, the great worm, His mouth he opened and displayed his tusks."
2.
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. Specifically: (Zool.)
The white stonecrop (Sedum album) reputed to have qualities as a vermifuge.
Worm oil (Med.), an anthelmintic consisting of oil obtained from the seeds of Chenopodium anthelminticum.
Worm powder (Med.), an anthelmintic powder.
Worm snake. (Zool.) See Thunder snake (b), under Thunder.
Worm tea (Med.), an anthelmintic tea or tisane.
Worm tincture (Med.), a tincture prepared from dried earthworms, oil of tartar, spirit of wine, etc. (Obs.)
Worm wheel, a cogwheel having teeth formed to fit into the spiral spaces of a screw called a worm, so that the wheel may be turned by, or may turn, the worm; called also worm gear, and sometimes tangent wheel.
verb
Worm v. t.
1.
To effect, remove, drive, draw, or the like, by slow and secret means; often followed by out. "They find themselves wormed out of all power.""They... wormed things out of me that I had no desire to tell."
2.
To clean by means of a worm; to draw a wad or cartridge from, as a firearm. See Worm, n. 5 (b).
3.
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. "The men assisted the laird in his sporting parties, wormed his dogs, and cut the ears of his terrier puppies."
4.
(Naut.) 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. "Ropes... are generally wormed before they are served."
To worm one's self into, to enter into gradually by arts and insinuations; as, to worm one's self into favor.
Worm v. i. (past & past part. wormed; pres. part. worming) To work slowly, gradually, and secretly. "When debates and fretting jealousy Did worm and work within you more and more, Your color faded."
... Buffalo, if you must know! They pinched him on an old case, so you needn't blame me. I tell you I'm clear done with him. Love that worm! He just gave me an excuse to let my blacksheep blood ripple a little and it's all over now. And I'm sorry I played you for a sucker; honest I am. You gave me a lot of money for a wedding present and as the wedding doesn't count I'm going to give it back. You'll find it tucked away in your ... — Blacksheep! Blacksheep! • Meredith Nicholson Read full book for free!
... the episode of the element of the marvellous with which Voltaire had surrounded it. He called to his aid the testimony of the Duc de Choiseul, who, having in vain attempted to worm the secret of the Iron Mask out of Louis XV, begged Madame de Pompadour to try her hand, and was told by her that the prisoner was the minister of an Italian prince. At the same time that Dutens wrote, "There is ... — CELEBRATED CRIMES, COMPLETE - THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK • ALEXANDRE DUMAS, PERE Read full book for free!
... cross- legged and arranged his fishing tackle. He had the dearest little red float. His rod was a tough stalk of grass, his line was a fine long white horse-hair, and he tied a little wriggling worm at the end. ... — The Great Big Treasury of Beatrix Potter • Beatrix Potter Read full book for free!
... the five hundred years' end, the priests array their altar honestly, and put thereupon spices and sulphur vif and other things that will burn lightly; and then the bird phoenix cometh and burneth himself to ashes. And the first day next after, men find in the ashes a worm; and the second day next after, men find a bird quick and perfect; and the third day next after, he flieth his way. And so there is no more birds of that kind in all the world, but it alone, and truly that is a great miracle of God. And men may well liken that ... — The Travels of Sir John Mandeville • Author Unknown Read full book for free!
... comely form, adorned with pictures, and with a few prefatory words by Dr. Garnett, has made its appearance. Mr. Blades himself has left this world for a better one, where—so piety bids us believe—neither fire nor water nor worm can despoil or destroy the pages of heavenly wisdom. But the book-collector must not be caught nursing mere sublunary hopes. There is every reason to believe that in the realms of the blessed the library, like that of Major Ponto, will be small though well selected. Mr. ... — In the Name of the Bodleian and Other Essays • Augustine Birrell Read full book for free!
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