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fishworm

American  
[fish-wurm] / ˈfɪʃˌwɜrm /

noun

Chiefly New England and Northern and Midland U.S.
  1. an earthworm.


Regionalisms

See earthworm.

Etymology

Origin of fishworm

An Americanism dating back to 1850–55; fish + worm

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Captain Trigger hasn't got the backbone of a fishworm.

From West Wind Drift by McCutcheon, George Barr

"What you got last night, sonny, was for your own sake, but this time it's going to be for Frances'—you fishworm!"

From The Haunted Pajamas by Elliott, Francis Perry

"I'm not going to be a performer," he said, with a wry smile at the thought of "fishworm oil."

From The Rose in the Ring by McCutcheon, George Barr

We have all known him well from boyhood by several names—angleworm, fishworm, earthworm.

From The Adventures of a Grain of Dust by Hawksworth, Hallam

If you are, I got some fishworm oil that's jest the thing to limber up yer joints.

From The Rose in the Ring by McCutcheon, George Barr