worm

Word family

Related topics: Computers

worm1 /wɜːm $ wɜːrm/ noun [countableC]

1. HBAa long thin creature with no bones and no legs that lives in soil 蠕虫 → earthworm , lugworm

2. the young form of an insect, which looks like a short worm 〔昆虫的〕幼虫 → glow-worm , silkworm , woodworm

3. have worms MIif a person or animal has worms, they have legless parasites (=small creatures that eat their food or their blood) in their body 〔人或动物体内〕长有寄生虫 → roundworm , tapeworm

4. DON'T LIKEsomeone who you do not like or respect 可鄙的人；可怜虫

5. a type of computer virus that can make copies of itself and destroy information on computers that are connected to each other 蠕虫病毒〔一种计算机病毒，会自行拷贝并销毁联网计算机内的信息〕

6. the worm turns literaryCHANGE/BECOME DIFFERENT used to say that someone who normally obeys someone without complaining suddenly refuses to do this 蠕虫也会翻腾，兔子急了也会咬人〔指一贯温顺者突然反抗〕

→ can of worms at can2(4)

Examples from the Corpus

worm• This is one of the best times for catching worms.• That means worms can spread much faster than viruses.• The apple, once likely to keep the doctor away, now invites the surgeons because of pesticides or worms.• Always replace the cover when you are not actually looking at the worms.• These worms grow to an average length of about 1 metre and a diameter of 2 centimetres.• Green and red wiggling worms danced in his sight like fireworks.

worm2 verb [transitiveT]

1 worm (your way) into/through etc something SLOWto move through a small place or a crowd slowly, carefully, or with difficulty 缓慢[小心，艰难]地进入/穿过等〔狭小的地方或人群〕

He wormed his way under the fence.

他吃力地从栅栏下钻过。

Examples from the Corpus

worm (your way) into/through etc something• But you can bring worms into your house, too, and make your kitchen scraps disappear.• Clive felt delicate feelers worming through his mind, draining his pain, his fear.• Jess wormed through the crush, at last emerging into daylight.• Or perhaps you've an idea that you might worm your way into my affections, is that it?

2. worm your way into somebody’s affections/heart/confidence etc TRICK/DECEIVEto gradually make someone love or trust you, especially by being dishonest 〔尤指通过欺诈手段〕逐渐获得某人的喜爱/欢心/信任等

3 worm your way out of (doing) something AVOIDto avoid doing something that you have been asked to do by making an excuse that is dishonest but clever 〔狡猾地〕逃避（做）某事

Steve wormed his way out of going to the meeting.

史蒂夫找借口不去开会。

Examples from the Corpus

worm your way out of (doing) something• Somehow Ben wormed his way out of mowing the lawn.

4. MHHBAto give an animal medicine in order to remove parasites that live inside it 给〔动物〕驱寄生虫

5.worm something out of somebody phrasal verbphr v to get information from someone who does not want to give it 从〔某人〕口中套出〔信息〕

Examples from the Corpus

worm• They made it their business to worm a curl of something out of you.• Dragging her mind back to the matter in hand, and mumbling apologies, she wormed her way to the reception desk.• He wormed himself in, we hiss.• He managed to worm his way up to a point where his nose just touched the horizontal rope.• I thought as I managed to worm my way over to a live mike.• Archie ignored the bell and continued talking but everyone stopped listening and started worming their way free of the hard plastic chairs.• Jess wormed through the crush, at last emerging into daylight.