squirm
To twist one's body with snakelike motionsTo twist one's body with snakelike motions.
» Tom squirmed in his chair a little bit.
Meaning
3 senses(intransitive)To twist one's body with snakelike motions.
The prisoner managed to squirm out of the straitjacket.
sich winden
извива́тьсяizvivátʹsja, изгиба́тьсяizgibátʹsja, ко́рчитьсяkórčitʹsja
ви́тисяvýtysja
(intransitive)To twist in discomfort, especially from shame or embarrassment.
I recounted the embarrassing story in detail just to watch him squirm.
A tough question that made the press office squirm.
sich winden
поёживатьсяpojóživatʹsja, ёрзатьjórzatʹ, ёжитьсяjóžitʹsja
ко́рчитисяkórčytysja
To evade a question, an interviewer etc.
sich winden
уви́ливатьuvílivatʹ
ухиля́тисяuxyljátysja, ухили́тисяuxylýtysja
- to move in a twisting or contorted motion, (especially when struggling)
Examples
25 sentencesTom squirmed in his chair a little bit.
Tom squirmed in his seat.
He started to squirm and resist.
Tom and Mary squirmed in their seats.
I just want to see Tom squirm.
Translations
7 languagesBy meaning 3
By meaning 3
By meaning 1
Origin
First recorded 1690's, originally used of eels; cognate with Scots squimmer (“to wriggle,First recorded 1690's, originally used of eels; cognate with Scots squimmer (“to wriggle, squirm”). Of uncertain origin. Compare dialectal quirm, whirm (“to disappear quickly, vanish suddenly and mysteriously”), Norwegian kverva (“to turn around, take away, remove, shrink”), from Old Norse hverfa (“to turn, vanish”). Alternatively, perhaps imitative or related to worm (in the sense of writhing movement) or swarm.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
squirms, squirming, squirmed, squirmedSynonyms
6 synonymsWord family
8 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle