worm-likeadj.adv.
/ˈwəːmlʌɪk/, U.S. /ˈwərmˌlaɪk/ A. adj.
a. Resembling a worm in structure, form, movement, etc.; vermiform.
ΘΠ
the world > space > shape > curvature > series of curves > [adjective] > having many or winding curves
tortivous14..
anfractuous?a1425
tortuous1426
tortuea1500
snakish1532
winding1538
wormy1545
boughty1570
wriggled1572
sinuous1578
serpent-likea1586
crankled1594
serpent1597
snaky1600
flexuous1605
snaking1605
cringle-crangle1606
voluminous1611
serpenting?1614
serpentine1615
curvy1623
serpentizing1628
worming1631
lacinious1648
anguineous1656
anguine1657
anfractuose1680
twisting1683
vermicular1712
worm-like1721
flexuose1727
meandering1748
crinkum-crankum1766
serpentiform1777
serpentining1799
anguiform1800
ophite1828
tortuose1829
cranky1836
sinuose1836
serpentile1857
twisty1857
sinuated1859
vermiculatea1864
twinyc1868
tortive1880
crinkle-crankle1881
serpentinous1882
quirky1890
twistical1890
waggly1894
wriggly1901
squiggly1902
wiggly1903
contortionate1911
wig-waggy1914
curvaceous1965
1721 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. at Valvula major The foremost Worm-like Process of the Cerebellum.
1774 O. Goldsmith Hist. Earth I. 173 The whole body of the water then is found replete with little worm-like insects.
1854 Poultry Chron. 1 77 A strange spiral, or worm-like, motion.
1868 W. Cory Lett. & Jrnls. (1897) 218 A dreadful fat worm-like black thing with onions..; it was lamprey.
1885 Guide Galleries Mammalia Dept. Zool. Brit. Mus. 50 The Ant-eaters have narrow heads with long snouts, to accommodate their enormously long worm-like tongues.
b. figurative. (Cf. worm n. 13.)
ΘΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > condition of being held in contempt > [adjective] > contemptible
unworthc893
unwrastc893
littleOE
narrow-hearteda1200
wretcha1200
unworthya1240
wretchedc1250
un-i-wrastc1275
bad1276
lechera1300
feeblea1325
despisablea1340
villain1340
contemptiblec1384
lousyc1386
caitiff1393
brothelyc1400
roinousa1425
poor1425
sevenpennyc1475
nasty1477
peakish1519
filthy1533
despectuous1541
beggary1542
scald1542
shitten?1545
disdainfula1547
contemptuous1549
despicable1553
skit-brained?1553
contemniblea1555
vile1560
sluttish1561
queer1567
scornful1570
scallardc1575
tinkerly?1576
worthless1576
beggarly?1577
paltry1578
halfpenny1579
dog bolt1580
pitiful1582
sneaking1582
triobolar1585
wormisha1586
baddy1586
dudgeon1592
measled1596
packstaff1598
roguey1598
roguish1601
contemptful1608
grovelling1608
lightly1608
disdainable1611
purulent1611
snotty-nose1622
vilipendious1630
cittern-headed1638
wormy1640
pissabed1643
triobolary1644
disparageable1648
blue-bellied1652
unestimable1656
scullion1658
piteous1667
dirty1670
shabbed1674
shabby1679
snotty1681
snotty-nosed1682
mucky1683
bollocky1694
scoundrel1700
scaldeda1704
sneaking1703
ficulnean1716
unsolid1731
pitiable1753
scrubby1754
inimitable1798
scrubbish1798
worm-likea1807
small1824
lowlife1827
ketty1828
skunkish1831
yellow-bellied1833
scaly1843
cockroachya1845
wutless1853
nigger1859
trashy1862
low-down1872
cruddy1877
shitty1879
tinhorn1886
blithering1889
motherfucking1890
snidey1890
pilgarlicky1894
shitass1895
shoddy1918
yah boo1921
bitching1929
shit-faced1932
turdish1936
fricking1937
jerk-off1937
chickenshit1940
sheg-up1941
snot-nosed1941
jerky1944
mother-loving1948
scroungy1948
fecking1952
pissant1952
shit-kicking1953
shit-eating1956
bumboclaat1957
rassclaat1957
shit-headed1959
farkakte1960
shithouse1966
daggy1967
dipshit1968
scuzzy1969
bloodclaat1971
bitch ass1972
wanky1972
streelish1974
twatty1975
twattish1976
dweeby1988
douchey1991
wank1991
cockish1996
a1807 W. Wordsworth Prelude (1959) x. 414 I..wish'd that Man should start Out of the worm-like state in which he is, And spread abroad the wings of Liberty.
1877 W. E. Gladstone Diary 7 May in J. Morley Life Gladstone (1903) II. vii. iv. 565 Never did I feel weaker and more wormlike.
B. adv.
After the manner of a worm.
ΘΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > condition of being held in contempt > [adverb]
hokerly?c1225
caitiflyc1425
contemptiblya1438
villainously1484
scabbedly1548
sneakishly1560
miserably1585
contemnedly1594
pitifully1601
dirtilya1631
worthlessly1637
mangilya1640
projectedly1660
despicablya1691
shabbily1755
unsolidly1755
worm-like1814
scrubbily1891
motherfucking1966
the world > movement > progressive motion > moving along with hands and feet or with body prone > [adverb] > in creeping or crawling manner
creepingly1548
worm-like1814
snakewise1874
1814 Ld. Byron Corsair i. xiv. 21 That heart hath long been changed, Worm-like 'twas trampled, adder-like avenged.
1841 R. Browning Pippa Passes iii, in Bells & Pomegranates No. I 12/2 A pale wretch..Who through some chink had pushed and pressed, Knees and elbows, belly and breast, Worm-like into the temple.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1928; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.adv.1721