squirm

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

squirm, v. i. [Cf. Swarm to climb a tree.].

 To twist about briskly with contortions like an eel or a worm; to wriggle; to writhe.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

squirm, v. & n.
--v.intr.
1 wriggle, writhe.
2 show or feel embarrassment or discomfiture.
--n. a squirming movement.

Derivative

squirmer n. squirmy adj. (squirmier, squirmiest).

Etymology

imit., prob. assoc. with WORM

THESAURUS

squirm

agonize, burn to, chafe, fidget, flip out, flounder, flutter, freak out on, fret, fuss, get excited, get high on, glow, go pitapat, hardly wait, hasten, have the fidgets, have the shakes, heave, itch to, jerk, jump the gun, palpitate, pant, quake, quaver, quiver, shake, shift, shiver, squiggle, stew, sweat, sweat and stew, sweat it out, swell, swell with emotion, thrill, thrill to, throb, tingle, tingle with excitement, toss, toss and turn, tremble, tumble, turn on to, twist, twist and turn, twitch, twitter, wag, waggle, wait impatiently, wiggle, worm, wriggle, writhe

ROGET THESAURUS

squirm

Agitation

VB be agitated, shake, tremble, tremble like an aspen leaf, quiver, quaver, quake, shiver, twitter, twire, writhe, toss, shuffle, tumble, stagger, bob, reel, sway, wag, waggle, wriggle, wriggle like an eel, dance, stumble, shamble, flounder, totter, flounce, flop, curvet, prance, cavort, squirm, throb, pulsate, beat, palpitate, go pitapat, flutter, flitter, flicker, bicker, bustle, ferment, effervesce, foam, boil, boil over, bubble up, simmer, toss about, jump about, jump like a parched pea, shake like an aspen leaf, shake to its center, shake to its foundations, be the sport of the winds and waves, reel to and fro like a drunken man, move from post to pillar and from pillar to post, drive from post to pillar and from pillar to post, keep between hawk and buzzard, agitate, shake, convulse, toss, tumble, bandy, wield, brandish, flap, flourish, whisk, jerk, hitch, jolt, jog, joggle, jostle, buffet, hustle, disturb, stir, shake up, churn, jounce, wallop, whip, vellicate.