wormy
/'wə:mi/
Definition
- Adjective:
- Infested with or damaged by worms: Describes something, typically wood, fruit, or other organic material, that contains worms or shows signs of damage caused by worms.
- Resembling a worm in shape or movement: Describes something that is sinuous, twisting, or has a worm-like form.
- (Figurative) Totally submissive or groveling: Describes a person who is excessively meek, servile, or cringing, as if wriggling like a worm.
Usage and Examples
- Adjective (Infested/Damaged):
- The old apple was wormy and inedible.
- They had to replace the wormy floorboards in the cottage.
- Adjective (Resembling a worm):
- The artist drew wormy lines that curled across the page.
- Adjective (Figurative: Submissive):
- After the scandal, his once-proud demeanor became wormy and obsequious.
Advanced Usage
- "Wormy" can be used metaphorically to describe corrupt or insidious elements that eat away at something from within, similar to worms in wood.
- The organization was brought down by the wormy corruption in its leadership.
Variants and Related Words
- Worm (n/v): The small, slender, soft-bodied animal; or the act of moving in a twisting, sinuous manner.
- Worm-eaten (adj): Synonymous with the primary meaning of "wormy," meaning damaged by worms.
- Vermicular (adj): A more formal term meaning resembling a worm in shape or motion.
Synonyms
- Maggoty: Infested with maggots (a type of larva).
- Cringing: Behaving in a servile way out of fear or desire for approval.
- Sinuous: Having many curves and turns.
Antonyms
- Pristine: In its original condition; unspoiled.
- Assertive: Having a confident and forceful personality.
Related Phrases and Idioms
- "A wormy turn of mind": (Archaic) A phrase suggesting a mean-spirited, corrupt, or groveling nature.
- While "wormy" itself is not typically used in phrasal verbs, the root word "worm" appears in phrases like:
- "To worm one's way into/out of something": To insinuate oneself into a situation or to escape from a situation using cunning, indirect methods.
Adjective
-
totally submissive
-
infested with or damaged (as if eaten) by worms
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