wriggle

American  

[rig-uhl] / ˈrɪg əl /

verb (used without object)

wriggled, wriggling

1. to twist to and fro; writhe; squirm.

2. to move along by twisting and turning the body, as a worm or snake.

3. to make one's way by shifts or expedients (often followed byout ).

   to wriggle out of a difficulty.

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verb (used with object)

wriggled, wriggling

1. to cause to wriggle.

   to wriggle one's hips.

2. to bring, get, make, etc., by wriggling.

   to wriggle one's way through a narrow opening.

noun

1. act of wriggling; a wriggling movement.

wriggle British  

/ ˈrɪɡəl /

verb

1. to make or cause to make twisting movements

2. (intr) to progress by twisting and turning

3. (intr; foll by into or out of) to manoeuvre oneself by clever or devious means

   wriggle out of an embarrassing situation

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noun

1. a wriggling movement or action

2. a sinuous marking or course

Other Word Forms

• outwriggle verb (used with object)
• unwriggled adjective
• wriggler noun
• wrigglingly adverb
• wriggly adjective

Etymology

Origin of wriggle

1485–95; < Middle Low German wriggelen (cognate with Dutch wriggelen ), frequentative of *wriggen to twist, turn, akin to Old English wrīgian to twist; wry

Example Sentences

I shove the arm with the postcard behind my back as I wriggle out of Camille’s grip.

From Literature

Slowly she began to wriggle into the tunnel.

From Literature

James Justin wriggled free inside the Forest area and when his shot was saved by Ortega, he had the presence of mind to square the rebound to Okafor, who slotted home from 10 yards.

From Barron's

Bat ate a few more bites of his spaghetti and had almost finished all his bread when he felt Thor wriggling around in his pouch.

From Literature

She fidgeted and wriggled her bare toes while Mr. Sasaki spoke.

From Literature

Related Words

• crawl
• sneak
• squirm
• zigzag