squirm

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“
WASHINGTON - Senate Republicans are drawing out a flap that has made the Obama administration squirm, applying the brakes to Democratic attempts to quickly tax away most of the bonuses at troubled insurance giant AIG and other bailed-out companies.

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Definitions (11)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (4)

  1. intransitive verb To twist about in a wriggling, snakelike motion; writhe.
  2. intransitive verb To feel or exhibit signs of humiliation or embarrassment.
  3. noun The act of squirming.
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Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (4)

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Examples (50)

  • Some say we are overly diffident, that we shy from the spotlight, squirm, as it were, from the light of day. —  F ;SF; - vol 101 issue 06 - December 2001
  • Media types in Atlanta say Arthur Blank always sits in this spot, which is close enough to make a man on a hot seat squirm -- and perfectly positioned next to the door so he can't hide. —  ESPN.com
  • In addition to enjoying seeing Democrats squirm, Republicans also believe the public is, at least narrowly, on their side. —  National Review Online
  • So cross your legs and hold on long enough to watch the DUmmies squirm, in "Occupied" Red, while the commentary of your humble guest correspondent, Charles Henrickson, who unfortunately will be washing his hair all day on January 20 and thus miss the festivities, is in the —  Latest Articles
  • Squirming meant you were as good as found out, but I'd long since learned not to squirm - even when I could feel the squirm working its way up to my shoulders. —  DeMarCaTionVille
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This word has been looked up 91 times.

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Roget's II Roget's II: The New Thesaurus

Used in the same context Used in the Same Context

waltzer ·  calcaneal ·  fornix ·  midgut ·  stein ·  cricoarytenoid ·  nasopharynx ·  fromillinois ·  tiding ·  skyhook ·  glavine ·  rhymster

Used in the same contextWord Family

squirm:   squirmed ·  squirming ·  squirms
Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (3)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Origin unknown.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (2)

  1. Prob. a variant of squir, throw with a jerk, influenced by association with swarm and worm: see squir.
  2. from squirm, v.
 

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/skwərm/
by American Heritage

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