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View synonyms for wriggle

wriggle

[ rig-uhl ]

verb (used without object)

, wrig·gled, wrig·gling.
  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 by out ):

    to wriggle out of a difficulty.



verb (used with object)

, wrig·gled, wrig·gling.
  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

/ 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

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


noun

  1. a wriggling movement or action
  2. a sinuous marking or course
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈwriggler, noun
  • ˈwriggly, adjective
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Other Words From

  • wriggling·ly adverb
  • outwriggle verb (used with object) outwriggled outwriggling
  • un·wriggled adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of wriggle1

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

Origin of wriggle1

C15: from Middle Low German; compare Dutch wriggelen
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Example Sentences

Like Nadler, Cohen—who is also Jewish—substituted “Jewish” for “gay” and watched Riggle wriggle.

The Fishermen, like thieves, shake out their silver,/ the lithe knives wriggle on the drying sand.

The question is whether Netanyahu believes that he can wriggle his way out of serious peace negotiations once again.

To wriggle your way into private sessions with top industry execs?

And most of us felt compelled to find a witty repartee while trying to wriggle out of his clutches.

He could not wriggle a toe, which made his mental processes difficult, for his toes were first aids to his brain.

His mind worked more freely when his toes were unconfined, so that he might wriggle them as he reasoned.

Scattergood was thinking, and to think, with him, meant so to unfetter his feet that he could wriggle his toes pleasurably.

Another wriggle took him past the back, but it also gave Clowes time to catch him up.

With a convulsive wriggle of its tail it darted away in a panic.

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