See Also: wriggle(1)(dictionary)
wriggle(2)(dictionary)
wriggle 1, verb(dictionary)
wriggle 2, noun(dictionary)

wriggle(2) (iou)



wriggle verb. L15.
[Middle & mod. Low German (= Dutch) wriggelen frequentative of wriggen: see WRIG verb, -LE3. Cf. WIGGLE verb, WRY verb1.]
verb intrans. Twist the body about; writhe, squirm. L15.
A. Hardy The little fish hatches out and wriggles free. M. Forster Our precious baby wriggles like an eel in my arms.
b. Move or proceed with writhing or twisting movements; flow or run sinuously. E17.
Horace Walpole The Trent wriggles through a lovely meadow. D. Welch I undressed and wriggled into my bathing suit. E. Blyton They wriggled over the cliff on their tummies.
verb trans.
a. Cause (esp. a part of the body) to make short writhing or twisting movements; bring into a specified state or form by wriggling. L16.
B. Bainbridge He slid backwards..and wriggling his body from side to side slowed the swing.
b. Foll. by in, into: insert or introduce by wriggling. L16.
M. Gee He..wriggled a red glass stud into his earlobe.
c. Make (one's way) by wriggling. M19.
fig.: D. Hogan Joly seemed..able to wriggle her way around any problem.
a. verb intrans. & refl. Manoeuvre oneself into or into favour, office, etc., by ingratiating or shifty means. L16.
Albert Smith He wriggled himself into the good opinion of the coachman. C. Kingsley A scheme by which to wriggle into Court favour.
b. verb intrans. Practise evasion or equivocation; esp. get out of, escape from, one's responsibilities by means of a contrived pretext. M17.
A. Fraser He..tried to wriggle out of the situation.
verb trans. Form in, or (formerly) cut with, a wriggly or sinuous pattern. rare. E17.
wriggled ppl adjective that has been wriggled;
wriggled work = wriggle-work s.v. WRIGGLE noun: L16.
wriggler noun (a) fig. a person who advances by ingratiating or shifty means; (b) a person who or thing which wriggles; esp. a wriggling fish or animalcule: M17.
wriggling verbal noun the action of the verb; an instance of this: L16.
wrigglingly adverb in a wriggling manner E17.