wurmen

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• Rhymes: -ʏrmən

wurmen

1. (reflexive) to worm, move by dragging one's body around

From Wurm (“worm”) +‎ -en. Formally already in Middle High German wurmen and Old High German wormōn, but with unrelated senses. Since the 15th century “to have worms, be wormridden”. The contemporary meaning since the later 18th century, seemingly popularised in part by Goethe. Evoking the idea of a nibbling worm in one’s mind or conscience, perhaps remotely based on Isaiah 66:24, Mark 9:44 (“where their worm dieth not”, of the continuous agony and regret of the sinners in hell).

wurmen (third-person singular simple present wurmt, past tense wurmte, past participle gewurmt, auxiliary haben)

1. (transitive, of a situation or past event) to cause a not necessarily strong but continuous feeling of anger, worry, or regret in someone