The Collaborative International Dictionary
Worm \Worm\ (w[^u]rm), n. [OE. worm, wurm, AS. wyrm; akin to D. worm, OS. & G. wurm, Icel. ormr, Sw. & Dan. orm, Goth. wa['u]rms, L. vermis, Gr. ? a wood worm. Cf. Vermicelli, Vermilion, Vermin.]
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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.
--Tyndale (Acts xxviii. 3, 4).'T is slander, Whose edge is sharper than the sword, whose tongue Outvenoms all the worms of Nile.
--Shak.When Cerberus perceived us, the great worm, His mouth he opened and displayed his tusks.
--Longfellow. -
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: (Zo["o]l.)
Any helminth; an entozo["o]n.
Any annelid.
An insect larva.
pl. Same as Vermes.
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An internal tormentor; something that gnaws or afflicts one's mind with remorse.
The worm of conscience still begnaw thy soul!
--Shak. -
A being debased and despised.
I am a worm, and no man.
--Ps. xxii. 6. -
Anything spiral, vermiculated, or resembling a worm; as:
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The thread of a screw.
The threads of screws, when bigger than can be made in screw plates, are called worms.
--Moxon. A spiral instrument or screw, often like a double corkscrew, used for drawing balls from firearms.
(Anat.) A certain muscular band in the tongue of some animals, as the dog; the lytta. See Lytta.
The condensing tube of a still, often curved and wound to economize space. See Illust. of Still.
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(Mach.) 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. Worm abscess (Med.), an abscess produced by the irritation resulting from the lodgment of a worm in some part of the body. Worm fence. See under Fence. Worm gear. (Mach.)
A worm wheel.
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Worm gearing. Worm gearing, gearing consisting of a worm and worm wheel working together. Worm grass. (Bot.)
See Pinkroot, 2 (a) .
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The white stonecrop ( Sedum album) reputed to have qualities as a vermifuge.
--Dr. Prior.Worm oil (Med.), an anthelmintic consisting of oil obtained from the seeds of Chenopodium anthelminticum.
Worm powder (Med.), an anthelmintic powder.
Worm snake. (Zo["o]l.) 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. See Illust. of Worm gearing, above.
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Usage examples of "worm powder".
Mrs Mackilwraith, observing the blue shadow on the eyelids which sheltered Griselda's cornflower-blue eyes, would have been seized with a powerful desire to give her a worm powder.