wriggle
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Related to wriggle: wriggle out
wriggle
writhe; squirm; to move by twisting and turning the body, as a worm or snake: He tried to wriggle out of the narrow opening.
Not to be confused with:
wiggle – move quickly and irregularly from side to side: The puppy wiggled its tail.; undulating
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
wrig·gle
(rĭg′əl)v. wrig·gled, wrig·gling, wrig·gles
v.intr.
1. To turn or twist the body or a body part with writhing motions: The rabbit's nose wriggled.
2. To move or proceed with writhing motions: wriggle into a sleeping bag; wriggled out of his grasp.
v.tr.
1. To move with a wriggling motion: wriggle a toe.
2. To make (one's way, for example) by or as if by wriggling: He wriggled his way into her good graces.
n.
Phrasal Verb: A wriggling movement.
wriggle out of
To extricate oneself from (an undesirable situation or responsibility, for example) by sly or subtle means: wriggled out of a jam.
[Middle English wrigglen, perhaps from Middle Low German wriggeln; see wer- in Indo-European roots.]
wrig′gly adj.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
wriggle
(ˈrɪɡəl)vb
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.
n
4. a wriggling movement or action
5. a sinuous marking or course
[C15: from Middle Low German; compare Dutch wriggelen]
ˈwriggler n
ˈwriggly adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
wrig•gle
(ˈrɪg əl)v. -gled, -gling,
n. v.i.
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 fol. by out): to wriggle out of a difficulty.
v.t. 4. to cause to wriggle: to wriggle one's hips.
5. to bring, get, make, etc., by wriggling: to wriggle one's way through a tunnel.
n. 6. the act of wriggling; a wriggling movement.
[1485–95; < Middle Low German wriggelen (c. Dutch wriggelen), frequentative of *wriggen to twist, turn, akin to Old English wrīgian to twist; see wry]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
wriggle
Past participle: wriggled
Gerund: wriggling
| Imperative |
|---|
| wriggle |
| wriggle |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  wriggle - the act of wiggling |
| Verb | 1. |  wriggle - to move in a twisting or contorted motion, (especially when struggling); "The prisoner writhed in discomfort"; "The child tried to wriggle free from his aunt's embrace"move - move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion; "He moved his hand slightly to the right" wrench - make a sudden twisting motion |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
wriggle
verb
noun
wriggle out of something twist, avoid, duck, dodge, extricate yourself from, talk your way out of, worm your way out of The government is trying to wriggle out of its responsibilities.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
wriggle
verbThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
تَلَوٍّيَتَلَوّى
izgés-mozgás
iîiîa, engjast til og frá
išsisukinėjantis žmogussukinėjimasissukinėtis
grozīšanāsgrozītiesizlocītieslocīšanāslocīties
krútenievykrútiť sa
zvijati se
kıpır kıpır kıpırdanmakyerinde duramamayerinde duramamak
wriggle
[ˈrɪgl]A. VT → mover
to wriggle one's toes/fingers → mover los dedos de los pies/de las manos
to wriggle one's way through sth → avanzar con dificultad a través de algo
to wriggle one's toes/fingers → mover los dedos de los pies/de las manos
to wriggle one's way through sth → avanzar con dificultad a través de algo
B. VI (also wriggle about or around) [person, animal] (restlessly) → moverse, revolverse; (in pain) → retorcerse; [worm, snake, eel] → serpentear; [fish] → colear
to wriggle along → moverse serpenteando
to wriggle away → escaparse serpenteando
to wriggle down → bajarse serpenteando
to wriggle free → escaparse, escurrirse
to wriggle through a hole → deslizarse por un agujero
to wriggle out of a difficulty → escabullirse, escaparse de un apuro
to wriggle along → moverse serpenteando
to wriggle away → escaparse serpenteando
to wriggle down → bajarse serpenteando
to wriggle free → escaparse, escurrirse
to wriggle through a hole → deslizarse por un agujero
to wriggle out of a difficulty → escabullirse, escaparse de un apuro
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
wriggle
[ˈrɪgəl] n → tortillement m
vi
[person, worm, snake] → se tortiller; [fish] → frétiller
to wriggle in anticipation → frétiller d'impatience
The children were wriggling in anticipation → Les enfants frétillaient d'impatience.
to wriggle into sth → se tortiller pour enfiler qch
to wriggle out of sb's arms → s'extirper des bras de qn
to wriggle free → s'extirper
to wriggle in anticipation → frétiller d'impatience
The children were wriggling in anticipation → Les enfants frétillaient d'impatience.
to wriggle into sth → se tortiller pour enfiler qch
to wriggle out of sb's arms → s'extirper des bras de qn
to wriggle free → s'extirper
(fig) to wriggle out of sth → se défiler et ne pas faire qch
to wriggle out of doing sth → se défiler et ne pas faire qch
to wriggle out of doing sth → se défiler et ne pas faire qch
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
wriggle
n → Schlängeln nt no pl; (of child, fish) → Zappeln nt no pl; to give a wriggle (worm, snake, eel) → sich schlängeln; (fish) → sich winden, zappeln
vt toes, ears → wackeln mit; to wriggle one’s way through something → sich durch etw (hin)durchwinden or -schlängeln
vi (also wriggle about or around) (worm, snake, eel) → sich schlängeln; (fish) → sich winden, zappeln; (person) (restlessly, excitedly) → zappeln; (in embarrassment) → sich winden; to wriggle along/down → sich vorwärtsschlängeln/nach unten schlängeln; the fish wriggled off the hook → der Fisch wand sich vom Haken; she managed to wriggle free → es gelang ihr, sich loszuwinden; he wriggled through the hole in the hedge → er wand or schlängelte sich durch das Loch in der Hecke; do stop wriggling about → hör endlich mit der Zappelei auf
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
wriggle
[ˈrɪgl]1. vt (toes, fingers) → muovere
to wriggle one's way through (tunnel) → attraversare strisciando (undergrowth) → strisciare in
to wriggle one's way through (tunnel) → attraversare strisciando (undergrowth) → strisciare in
2. vi (also wriggle about or around) → agitarsi, dimenarsi; (fish, on hook) → contorcersi
to wriggle along/down → avanzare/scendere strisciando
to wriggle free → liberarsi contorcendosi
to wriggle through a hole → contorcersi per passare attraverso un buco
he managed to wriggle out of it (fig) → se l'è cavata con un espediente
to wriggle along/down → avanzare/scendere strisciando
to wriggle free → liberarsi contorcendosi
to wriggle through a hole → contorcersi per passare attraverso un buco
he managed to wriggle out of it (fig) → se l'è cavata con un espediente
3. n → contorsione f
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
wriggle
(ˈrigl) verb to twist to and fro. The child kept wriggling in his seat; How are you going to wriggle out of this awkward situation?
noun a wriggling movement.
ˈwriggler nounKernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.