Worm

11 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Screw \Screw\ (skr[udd]), n. [OE. scrue, OF. escroue, escroe,
     female screw, F. ['e]crou, L. scrobis a ditch, trench, in
     LL., the hole made by swine in rooting; cf. D. schroef a
     screw, G. schraube, Icel. skr[=u]fa.]
     1. A cylinder, or a cylindrical perforation, having a
        continuous rib, called the thread, winding round it


        spirally at a constant inclination, so as to leave a
        continuous spiral groove between one turn and the next, --
        used chiefly for producing, when revolved, motion or
        pressure in the direction of its axis, by the sliding of
        the threads of the cylinder in the grooves between the
        threads of the perforation adapted to it, the former being
        distinguished as the external, or male screw, or, more
        usually the screw; the latter as the internal, or female
        screw, or, more usually, the nut.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The screw, as a mechanical power, is a modification of
           the inclined plane, and may be regarded as a
           right-angled triangle wrapped round a cylinder, the
           hypotenuse of the marking the spiral thread of the
           screw, its base equaling the circumference of the
           cylinder, and its height the pitch of the thread.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Specifically, a kind of nail with a spiral thread and a
        head with a nick to receive the end of the screw-driver.
        Screws are much used to hold together pieces of wood or to
        fasten something; -- called also {wood screws}, and {screw
        nails}. See also {Screw bolt}, below.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Anything shaped or acting like a screw; esp., a form of
        wheel for propelling steam vessels. It is placed at the
        stern, and furnished with blades having helicoidal
        surfaces to act against the water in the manner of a
        screw. See {Screw propeller}, below.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. A steam vesel propelled by a screw instead of wheels; a
        screw steamer; a propeller.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     5. An extortioner; a sharp bargainer; a skinflint; a niggard.
        --Thackeray.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     6. An instructor who examines with great or unnecessary
        severity; also, a searching or strict examination of a
        student by an instructor. [Cant, American Colleges]
        [1913 Webster]
  
     7. A small packet of tobacco. [Slang] --Mayhew.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     8. An unsound or worn-out horse, useful as a hack, and
        commonly of good appearance. --Ld. Lytton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     9. (Math.) A straight line in space with which a definite
        linear magnitude termed the pitch is associated (cf. 5th
        {Pitch}, 10
        (b) ). It is used to express the displacement of a rigid
            body, which may always be made to consist of a
            rotation about an axis combined with a translation
            parallel to that axis.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     10. (Zool.) An amphipod crustacean; as, the skeleton screw
         ({Caprella}). See {Sand screw}, under {Sand}.
         [1913 Webster]
  
     {Archimedes screw}, {Compound screw}, {Foot screw}, etc. See
        under {Archimedes}, {Compound}, {Foot}, etc.
  
     {A screw loose}, something out of order, so that work is not
        done smoothly; as, there is a screw loose somewhere. --H.
        Martineau.
  
     {Endless screw}, or {perpetual screw}, a screw used to give
        motion to a toothed wheel by the action of its threads
        between the teeth of the wheel; -- called also a {worm}.
        
  
     {Lag screw}. See under {Lag}.
  
     {Micrometer screw}, a screw with fine threads, used for the
        measurement of very small spaces.
  
     {Right and left screw}, a screw having threads upon the
        opposite ends which wind in opposite directions.
  
     {Screw alley}. See {Shaft alley}, under {Shaft}.
  
     {Screw bean}. (Bot.)
         (a) The curious spirally coiled pod of a leguminous tree
             ({Prosopis pubescens}) growing from Texas to
             California. It is used for fodder, and ground into
             meal by the Indians.
         (b) The tree itself. Its heavy hard wood is used for
             fuel, for fencing, and for railroad ties.
  
     {Screw bolt}, a bolt having a screw thread on its shank, in
        distinction from a {key bolt}. See 1st {Bolt}, 3.
  
     {Screw box}, a device, resembling a die, for cutting the
        thread on a wooden screw.
  
     {Screw dock}. See under {Dock}.
  
     {Screw engine}, a marine engine for driving a screw
        propeller.
  
     {Screw gear}. See {Spiral gear}, under {Spiral}.
  
     {Screw jack}. Same as {Jackscrew}.
  
     {Screw key}, a wrench for turning a screw or nut; a spanner
        wrench.
  
     {Screw machine}.
         (a) One of a series of machines employed in the
             manufacture of wood screws.
         (b) A machine tool resembling a lathe, having a number of
             cutting tools that can be caused to act on the work
             successively, for making screws and other turned
             pieces from metal rods.
  
     {Screw pine} (Bot.), any plant of the endogenous genus
        {Pandanus}, of which there are about fifty species,
        natives of tropical lands from Africa to Polynesia; --
        named from the spiral arrangement of the pineapple-like
        leaves.
  
     {Screw plate}, a device for cutting threads on small screws,
        consisting of a thin steel plate having a series of
        perforations with internal screws forming dies.
  
     {Screw press}, a press in which pressure is exerted by means
        of a screw.
  
     {Screw propeller}, a screw or spiral bladed wheel, used in
        the propulsion of steam vessels; also, a steam vessel
        propelled by a screw.
  
     {Screw shell} (Zool.), a long, slender, spiral gastropod
        shell, especially of the genus Turritella and allied
        genera. See {Turritella}.
  
     {Screw steamer}, a steamship propelled by a screw.
  
     {Screw thread}, the spiral rib which forms a screw.
  
     {Screw stone} (Paleon.), the fossil stem of an encrinite.
  
     {Screw tree} (Bot.), any plant of the genus {Helicteres},
        consisting of about thirty species of tropical shrubs,
        with simple leaves and spirally twisted, five-celled
        capsules; -- also called {twisted-horn}, and {twisty}.
  
     {Screw valve}, a stop valve which is opened or closed by a
        screw.
  
     {Screw worm} (Zool.), the larva of an American fly
        ({Compsomyia macellaria}), allied to the blowflies, which
        sometimes deposits its eggs in the nostrils, or about
        wounds, in man and other animals, with fatal results.
  
     {Screw wrench}.
         (a) A wrench for turning a screw.
         (b) A wrench with an adjustable jaw that is moved by a
             screw.
  
     {To put the screws on} or {To put the screw on}, to use
        pressure upon, as for the purpose of extortion; to coerce.
        
  
     {To put under the screw} or {To put under the screws}, to
        subject to pressure; to force.
  
     {Wood screw}, a metal screw with a sharp thread of coarse
        pitch, adapted to holding fast in wood. See Illust. of
        {Wood screw}, under {Wood}.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Worm \Worm\, v. t.
     1. To effect, remove, drive, draw, or the like, by slow and
        secret means; -- often followed by out.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              They find themselves wormed out of all power.
                                                    --Swift.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              They . . . wormed things out of me that I had no
              desire to tell.                       --Dickens.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To clean by means of a worm; to draw a wad or cartridge
        from, as a firearm. See {Worm}, n. 5
        (b) .
            [1913 Webster]
  
     3. To cut the worm, or lytta, from under the tongue of, as a
        dog, for the purpose of checking a disposition to gnaw.
        The operation was formerly supposed to guard against
        canine madness.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The men assisted the laird in his sporting parties,
              wormed his dogs, and cut the ears of his terrier
              puppies.                              --Sir W.
                                                    Scott.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. (Naut.) To wind rope, yarn, or other material, spirally
        round, between the strands of, as a cable; to wind with
        spun yarn, as a small rope.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Ropes . . . are generally wormed before they are
              served.                               --Totten.
        [1913 Webster]
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {To worm one's self into}, to enter into gradually by arts
        and insinuations; as, to worm one's self into favor.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Worm \Worm\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Wormed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
     {Worming}.]
     To work slowly, gradually, and secretly.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           When debates and fretting jealousy
           Did worm and work within you more and more,
           Your color faded.                        --Herbert.
     [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Worm \Worm\ (w[^u]rm), n. [OE. worm, wurm, AS. wyrm; akin to D.
     worm, OS. & G. wurm, Icel. ormr, Sw. & Dan. orm, Goth.
     wa['u]rms, L. vermis, Gr. ? a wood worm. Cf. {Vermicelli},
     {Vermilion}, {Vermin}.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. A creeping or a crawling animal of any kind or size, as a
        serpent, caterpillar, snail, or the like. [Archaic]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              There came a viper out of the heat, and leapt on his
              hand. When the men of the country saw the worm hang
              on his hand, they said, This man must needs be a
              murderer.                             --Tyndale
                                                    (Acts xxviii.
                                                    3, 4).
        [1913 Webster]
  
              'T is slander,
              Whose edge is sharper than the sword, whose tongue
              Outvenoms all the worms of Nile.      --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              When Cerberus perceived us, the great worm,
              His mouth he opened and displayed his tusks.
                                                    --Longfellow.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Any small creeping animal or reptile, either entirely
        without feet, or with very short ones, including a great
        variety of animals; as, an earthworm; the blindworm.
        Specifically: (Zool.)
        (a) Any helminth; an entozoon.
        (b) Any annelid.
        (c) An insect larva.
        (d) pl. Same as {Vermes}.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     3. An internal tormentor; something that gnaws or afflicts
        one's mind with remorse.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The worm of conscience still begnaw thy soul!
                                                    --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. A being debased and despised.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              I am a worm, and no man.              --Ps. xxii. 6.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     5. Anything spiral, vermiculated, or resembling a worm; as:
        (a) The thread of a screw.
            [1913 Webster]
  
                  The threads of screws, when bigger than can be
                  made in screw plates, are called worms. --Moxon.
            [1913 Webster]
        (b) A spiral instrument or screw, often like a double
            corkscrew, used for drawing balls from firearms.
        (c) (Anat.) A certain muscular band in the tongue of some
            animals, as the dog; the lytta. See {Lytta}.
        (d) The condensing tube of a still, often curved and wound
            to economize space. See Illust. of {Still}.
        (e) (Mach.) A short revolving screw, the threads of which
            drive, or are driven by, a worm wheel by gearing into
            its teeth or cogs. See Illust. of {Worm gearing},
            below.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     {Worm abscess} (Med.), an abscess produced by the irritation
        resulting from the lodgment of a worm in some part of the
        body.
  
     {Worm fence}. See under {Fence}.
  
     {Worm gear}. (Mach.)
        (a) A worm wheel.
        (b) Worm gearing.
  
     {Worm gearing}, gearing consisting of a worm and worm wheel
        working together.
  
     {Worm grass}. (Bot.)
        (a) See {Pinkroot}, 2
        (a) .
        (b) The white stonecrop ({Sedum album}) reputed to have
            qualities as a vermifuge. --Dr. Prior.
  
     {Worm oil} (Med.), an anthelmintic consisting of oil obtained
        from the seeds of {Chenopodium anthelminticum}.
  
     {Worm powder} (Med.), an anthelmintic powder.
  
     {Worm snake}. (Zool.) See {Thunder snake}
        (b), under {Thunder}.
  
     {Worm tea} (Med.), an anthelmintic tea or tisane.
  
     {Worm tincture} (Med.), a tincture prepared from dried
        earthworms, oil of tartar, spirit of wine, etc. [Obs.]
  
     {Worm wheel}, a cogwheel having teeth formed to fit into the
        spiral spaces of a screw called a worm, so that the wheel
        may be turned by, or may turn, the worm; -- called also
        {worm gear}, and sometimes {tangent wheel}. See Illust. of
        {Worm gearing}, above.
        [1913 Webster]
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  worm
       n 1: any of numerous relatively small elongated soft-bodied
            animals especially of the phyla Annelida and
            Chaetognatha and Nematoda and Nemertea and
            Platyhelminthes; also many insect larvae
       2: a person who has a nasty or unethical character undeserving
          of respect [syn: {louse}, {insect}, {dirt ball}]
       3: a software program capable of reproducing itself that can
          spread from one computer to the next over a network;
          "worms take advantage of automatic file sending and
          receiving features found on many computers"
       4: screw thread on a gear with the teeth of a worm wheel or
          rack
       v : to move in a twisting or contorted motion, (especially when
           struggling); "The prisoner writhed in discomfort"; "The
           child tried to wriggle free from his aunt's embrace"
           [syn: {writhe}, {wrestle}, {wriggle}, {squirm}, {twist}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  134 Moby Thesaurus words for "worm":
     amble, angleworm, animal, armyworm, beast, blast, blight, blighter,
     bollworm, bookworm, cancer, canker, claudicate, contort, corkscrew,
     cotton worm, crawl, creep, crinkle, cur, dog, dogtrot, drag,
     drag along, drag out, dry rot, earthworm, earworm, edge in,
     fireworm, fishworm, foist, fungus, go dead slow, go on tiptoe,
     go slow, grovel, gumshoe, helminth, hobble, hound, hyena, idle,
     inch, inch along, inchworm, infiltrate, insect, intort, jog-trot,
     laze, leech, limp, looper, lowlife, meander, measuring worm,
     mildew, mold, mongrel, mosey, moth, moth and rust, mucker, must,
     nematode, night crawler, nightwalk, nightwalker, no-good, pad,
     pest, pig, poke, poke along, polecat, prowl, pussyfoot, reptile,
     rot, rust, saunter, scallop, scrabble, scramble, screw, serpent,
     serpentine, shuffle along, sidle, silkworm, skunk, slink, smut,
     snake, sneak, squiggle, squirm, stagger along, steal, steal along,
     stroll, swine, swirl, tapeworm, tippytoe, tiptoe, toddle,
     toddle along, totter along, traipse, turn, tussah, twine, twirl,
     twist, twist and turn, varmint, vermin, viper, waddle, walk,
     webworm, whelp, whirl, whorl, wiggle, wind, wireworm, woodworm,
     work in, worm along, wring, writhe
  
  

From Virtual Entity of Relevant Acronyms (Version 1.9, June 2002) [vera]:

  WORM
       Write Once Read Many (CD)
       
       

From Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001) [jargon]:

  worm n. [from `tapeworm' in John Brunner's novel "The Shockwave Rider",
     via XEROX PARC] A program that propagates itself over a network,
     reproducing itself as it goes. Compare {virus}. Nowadays the term has
     negative connotations, as it is assumed that only {cracker}s write
     worms. Perhaps the best-known example was Robert T. Morris's {Great
     Worm} of 1988, a `benign' one that got out of control and hogged
     hundreds of Suns and VAXen across the U.S. See also {cracker}, {RTM},
     {Trojan horse}, {ice}.
  
  

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:

  worm
       
           (From "Tapeworm" in John Brunner's
          novel "The Shockwave Rider", via {XEROX PARC}) A program that
          propagates itself over a network, reproducing itself as it
          goes.  Compare {virus}.  Nowadays the term has negative
          connotations, as it is assumed that only {crackers} write
          worms.
       
          Perhaps the best-known example was the {Great Worm}.
       
          Compare {Trojan horse}.
       
          [{Jargon File}]
       
          (1996-09-17)
       
       

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:

  WORM
       
          {Write-Once Read-Many}
       
       

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Worm
     (1.) Heb. sas (Isa. 51:8), denotes the caterpillar of the
     clothes-moth.
     
       (2.) The manna bred worms (tola'im), but on the Sabbath there
     was not any worm (rimmah) therein (Ex. 16:20, 24). Here these
     words refer to caterpillars or larvae, which feed on corrupting
     matter.
     
       These two Hebrew words appear to be interchangeable (Job 25:6;
     Isa. 14:11). Tola'im in some places denotes the caterpillar
     (Deut. 28:39; Jonah 4:7), and rimmah, the larvae, as bred from
     putridity (Job 17:14; 21:26; 24:20). In Micah 7:17, where it is
     said, "They shall move out of their holes like worms," perhaps
     serpents or "creeping things," or as in the Revised Version,
     "crawling things," are meant.
     
       The word is used figuratively in Job 25:6; Ps. 22:6; Isa.
     41:14; Mark 9:44, 46, 48; Isa. 66:24.