> as lemmas

1548 Hall's Vnion: Richard III f. xlij The wilde worme of vengaunce wauerynge in his hed.

1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry V f. xliiii Some priuate Scorpion in your heartes, or some wild worme in your heades.

c893 tr. Orosius Hist. i. vii Froxas comon..swa fela þæt man ne mihte..nanne mete gegyrwan, þæt þara wyrma nære emfela þæm mete, ær he gegearwod wære.

c1000 Ælfric Deut. iv. 18 Ne wyrce ge eow..nane anlicnyssa..ne fugeles, ne wyrmes [L. reptilium], ne fisces.

c1175 Lamb. Hom. 51 Þer wunieð fower cunnes wurmes inne [viz. adders, toads, frogs and crabs].

?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 154 Scorpiun is acunes wurm.

a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 2982 Ðis wirmes [ sc. frogs and toads] storuen in ðe stede.

c1325 Sir Orfeo (Sisam) 252 Now seþ he noþing þat him likeþ, Bot wilde wormes bi him strikeþ.

1377 W. Langland Piers Plowman B. xiv. 112 Briddes and bestes..And wilde wormes in wodes.

c1386 G. Chaucer Pardoner's Tale 27 If Cow or Calf or Sheepe or Oxe swelle That any worm hath ete or worm ystonge.

?c1400 J. Lydgate Æsop's Fab. v. 117 Thus were these wormes [the frog and mouse] contrary of livyng.

1535 Bible (Coverdale) Exod. viii. 21 I wil cause cruell wormes (or flyes) to come vpon the.

1561 J. Hollybush tr. H. Brunschwig Most Excellent Homish Apothecarye f. 37 Cantarides..are grene wormes shewing with a glosse lyke golde.

1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens Niewe Herball ii. xxxvii. 196 This herbe dryueth away..the stinking wormes or Mothes called Cimici.

1585 T. Washington tr. N. de Nicolay Nauigations Turkie ii. viii. 41 b Certaine small flying wormes, which with their billes and stinges picking the other figs, sodaynely after they are picked, they come to a good and perfect ripenesse.

1587 G. Turberville Tragicall Tales f. 128^v Vnderneath this bed of Sage, The fellow that did dig, Turnd vp a toade, a loathsome sight, A worme exceeding big.

1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost vii. 476 At once came forth whatever creeps the ground, Insect or Worme . View more context for this quotation

1820 P. B. Shelley Prometheus Unbound iv. i. 151 Ye beasts and birds, Ye worms, and fish.

1850 W. Wordsworth Prelude xiv. 364 The meek worm that feeds her lonely lamp Couched in the dewy grass.

?a1534 H. Medwall Nature ii. sig. fii^v The wylde worm ys com into hys hed, So that by reason only he ys led.

1534 J. Heywood Play of Loue sig. Ci^v Our louer in whose hed By a frantyk worme his opinion is bred.

1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry V f. xliiii Some priuate Scorpion in your heartes, or some wild worme in your heades hath caused you to conspire my death and confusion.

1548 Hall's Vnion: Richard III f. xlij The wilde worme of vengaunce wauerynge in his hed.

1606 G. Chapman Gentleman Vsher v. sig. I3 But a father Would rather eate the brawne out of his armes Then glut the mad worme of his wilde desires With his deare issues entrailes.

1623 P. Massinger Duke of Millaine v. i. sig. L2 And if I now out-strip him not, and catch him,..hereafter I'le sweare there are wormes in my braines.

1653 D. Osborne Lett. to Sir W. Temple (1888) 84 Lest you should think I have as many worms in my head as he.

1674 T. Rymer in tr. R. Rapin Refl. Aristotle's Treat. Poesie 47 The Emperor Nero who had the Worm in his Head, and conceited himself a Wit.

1678 J. Ray Coll. Eng. Prov. (ed. 2) 278 He has a worm in 's brain.

1705 T. Hearne Remarks & Coll. 26 Nov. (O.H.S.) I. 100 He presently after laid it aside, by reason the worm (w^th w^ch he is possessed) mov'd in his head another way.