squirm
squirm
Definition
squirm (skwʉrm)
intransitive verb
- to twist and turn the body in a snakelike movement; wriggle; writhe
- to show or feel distress, as from painful embarrassment, humiliation, etc.
noun
the act of squirming; a squirming motion
squirm′y adjective squirm′i·er, squirm′i·est
squirm
Synonyms
squirm
Usage Examples
Object
- ball: The striker stabbed a first-time angled effort goalwards and the ball squirmed through the grasp of Myhre and crept over the line.
- shot: The goal scorer screamed " leave it " as his shot squirmed under Oldridge but the ref allowed the goal.
- way: It makes you squirm the way he praises himself so highly.
Converse of object
- make: Michael Crawford never made an audience squirm quite like Eddie did.
- watch: There is nothing better than watching celebrities squirm or panic and Ashton and his team have a real gift for doing it.
- see: But for this one, he recommended it as a " first date " movie to see the fella squirm.
Modifying Another Word
- away: Kai, still groggy from the fumes, squirmed away, dragging the wizard with him till he could go no further.
- about: John was squirming about in his arms; he clearly didn't want to be there.
- just: She has to be picked up to be put in there, and she'll wiggle and squirm just like the cat.
- uncomfortably: Very enjoyable, but impossible for any woman, whether childless or a mother, to watch without squirming uncomfortably in her seat.
- much: After many apologies and much squirming on my part, he allowed me to climb from his back garden into mine.
- then: I almost brought in Greg owen before last week, and then squirmed as he did really well!
Followed by an intransitive particle
- around: Whist we were squirming around flat out in water Dales style, Jane had found our next site.
- out: Charlie's pointing out the way Ian Blair is trying to squirm out of a situation of his own making.
- through: Without stopping to think, he lay on his stomach and squirmed through just far enough to stick his head out the other side.
Followed by a transitive particle
- off: A distracted Mulliner lost the ball under pressure from opposite number and the ball squirmed off the bar.
Used with why or when
- when: I squirm impotently when people write to ask me to recommend a Sea of Faith church in their area.
Preposition: under
- keeper: Buckingham started brightly and went ahead when a low shot by Abdul squirmed under the keeper and into the net.
Preposition: with
- embarrassment: Thinking back on it all, I can't help squirming with embarrassment.
Noun used with modifier
- ball: However, Widdowson with another moment to forget saw the ball squirm through his hands and into the net.
Browse dictionary entries near squirm
- squireen
- squirearchy
- squire
- squinting
- squinteyed
- squint-eyed
- squint
- squinch
- squilla
- squill
- squirrel
- squirrel cage
- squirrel corn
- squirrel monkey
- squirrelly
- squirt
- squirt gun
- squirting cucumber
- squish
- squishy
