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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Worm(e, n. Also: vorm, uorme, woirme, wirm, virm, wyrm, werm. [ME and e.m.E. wurm (c1175), werm (c1200), worm (a1250), wirm(e (both c1250), wyrme (Prompt. Parv.), OE wyrm, MLG, MDu. worm, ON ormr. Cf. L. vermis.]

1. A serpent or reptilian monster, ? a dragon; a reptile of some sort. b. A representation of a snake or reptilian creature. a1500 Colk. Sow i 467.
This pig … gaif a battell curious to Eglamoir of Artherus The vgly worme nevir so weill preuit Quhill this bald bore leuit Nor ȝit as I vnderstand The dragone in the holy land 1590 Crim. Trials I ii 207.
Ye … maid ane compas in the eird, and ane hoill in the middis thairof: And … be thy conjuratiounes, thow causit ane grit worme cum fyrst out of the said hoill, and creip owre the compase 1679 J. Somerville Mem. I 38.
Ane hydeous monster in the forme of a worme soe called … by the country people (but in effect hes been a serpent, or some such other creature,) in lenth three Scots yards, and somewhat bigger then ane ordinary man's leg, with a head … in forme and cullour to our common muir eddersb. 1454 Old Dundee I 562.
The grayth of the prossession of Corpus Christi … Thre lang corssis of tre … A worm of tre. The haly lam of tre 1562 Inv. Wardrobe 158.
i basing and lair with aipis wormes and serpentis

2. A worm, some creeping creature found in the earth. b. Worm month, appar. the period of the year when worms, etc. are most numerous (see SND Worm n. 1 (2)). Worm web, a cobweb, spider's web. Also in fig. context (see SND Worm n. 1 (3)). a1500 Henr. Fab. 94.
I [sc. the cock] had leuer haif scrapit heir with my naillis Amangis this mow, and luke my lyfis fude, As draf, or corne, small wormis or snaillis 1568 Skene Descr. Pest 10.
As … multitude of padokis & domestical vormis callit in Latine blattae quhilkis ar generit of superflew fat humiditie 1568 Skene Descr. Pest 11.
As quhan rosis … springis new in the autumne, innumerable vormis, fleis and serpentis … hait & humide constitutioune of the … ȝeir … pronuncis ane pest 1587-99 Hume 22/182.
The scheip, the nolt, & naughtie wormes they do him [sc. man] cleith & feid 1647 Dalyell Darker Superst. 115.
[A child being stripped was rubbed with] the oyle of wormes [and] held over the reik of a fyre. [Oil extracted from earth worms has been recommended in modern times, as a sanative of peculiar virtue.] 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. (1681) i 9.
Down to his mouth arose A mountain rather then a nose … Upon which savage beasts did feed, As worms, and selkhornsb. (1) 1684 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds II 381.
[Cut no wood] in the worme moneth or deid monethfig. 1589–90 Waus Corr. 447.
We die for threst and worme vobbis groingis in our thrott(2) 1635 Dickson Wr. 33.
When God puts His hand to the work of man's framing, oh, what curious draughts, smaller than the smallest thread of a worm-web!

3. The worm that feeds on and destroys corpses. Also possess. With fude, meit, also wormis keitching, the grave. b. transf. As one of the pains suffered in hell. c. fig. The worme of thy conscience, something that gnaws at the conscience without cease. a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 578.
Heir I beteiche my corps and carioun With wormis and with taidis to be rent a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 546 (Harl.).
Think how thi flesch … Salbe the fude of worme and scorpioune a1497, 15.. Gray MS v 22.
Quhen we ar deid & dollin deip … Wan wormys so schill sall all to schow ws 1567 G. Ball. 28.
The flesche man die … For it was borne to that intent, In eird with wormis for to be rent 1596 Dalr. I 288/26.
Thay fund [his body] … hail and sound, that nathir had the wirmes eitne his flesche, nor stormie tempest of the tyme had deformet it 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. iv.
The fire … to the which, in defraude of the wormes, many hes betaught their bodypossess. (1) a1500 Henr. Deth & Man 38.
Cum with me [sc. Death] … Edderis, askis, wirmes meit to be c1515 Asl. MS I 322/27.
Lo Alexander ȝisterday fed with all delytis, this day he is wormes fude a1568 Bann. MS 77b/86.
Fra thow be gane quhat arte thow thane … Bot wirmes meit 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1671) 235.
Fear not clay and worm's meat(2) a1500 Henr. Fab. 1932.
The bodie to the wormis keitching The saull to … euerlestand paneb. a1400 Leg. S. v 261.
Aucht paynis … That grathit ar in hell fore men That in this lyf wil nocht God kene: Fellone wormys … And thike myrknes lestand ay ?a1500 Remembr. Passion 320.
Think on the panis of hell … ane mekle mirk hoill full of fire, reik, and of sa gret merknes that it may be graipit; with wyrmes that deis neuer; cald intollarabill, cumpany of feindis c1520-c1535 Nisbet Mark ix 48.
Quhare the worm [L. vermis] of tham deis nocht, and the fire is nocht sloknyt 1560 Acts II 529/1.
The dungeoun of vtter darknes quhair thair worme sall not die nouther ȝit thair fyre salbe extinguischeitc. 1612 Jurid. Rev. X 469.
Being accompaneit with the worme of thy conscience

4. A larva that bores in wood, a wood-worm. Also attrib. b. Applied to a wood-worm or worm-like creature taken to be the source of the barnacle goose. c. Similarly, the source of the Phœnix. 1567 Sat. P. iv 154.
As the woirme that workis vnder cuire At lenth the tre consumis 1587 Carmichael Etym. 16.
Teredo, a worme in wode, or a moth in garmentsattrib. 1692 Conv. Burghs IV 153.
Curing of hering and salmond. … That all casks be made of weell seasoned knaple or oaken timber free of all whyt wood or worm hollsb. 1531 Bell. Boece I xlviii.
All treis … cassin in the seis, be proces of time apperis first worme-etin, and in the small boris and hollis thairof growis small wormis: first, thay schaw thair heid and feit, and last of all thay schaw thair plumis and wingis; finaly, quhen thay ar cumin to the just mesure and quantite of geis, thay fle in the aire as othir fowlis dois 1596 Dalr. I 61/32.
That mony ane sawe the balkes of the same schip cleine consumed, and ful of the same kynd of wormes, sum of thame litle and ȝoung, sum agane with the ful schapp of ane foulc. 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 56/257.
Lo here one of her race, Ane worme [v.r. uorme] bred of her ashe … To be lyke her, new gendred by her death 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 58/273.
To make ane Phœnix new Euen of this worme of Phœnix ashe which grew

5. The worm, an ailment believed to be caused by the activity of a worm, a gnawing pain, toothache or colic. c1500 Rowll Cursing 57 (M).
The crippill the cramp the colica The worme the wareit vedumfa a1605 Montg. Flyt. 301 (T).
The choikis, the charbunkill, with the wormis in thy cheikis 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 8/15.
By curing the worme, by stemming of blood … by wordes, without applying anie thing, meete to the part offended, as mediciners do 1633 Johnston Diary I 12.
That Sunday … schoe took the worme at midnight, begoud to cast, and so contineued al Mononday a1646 Wedderburn Voc. (1673) 20.
Laborat dolore dentium, he hath the worm 1654 Johnston Diary II 275.
Haiving the worme, and not being able to com to the kirk 1661 Baillie III 454.
What shall I doe with the worme, it hes imprisoned me 1661 Baillie III 454.
If the parliament would put on him the penaltie of my worme, I think it would quickly temper his very uncivill pen

6. pl. Parasitic worms. Quot. Abell may belong in 3 above. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 195.
Ma wormis hes thow beschittin Nor thair is gers on grund a1538 Abell 17a.
He wes strikin with ane wehement dolor in his bowellis … and wes birsit saire in all his body and he that wes before sa pridfull … now the wermis of his awne body eit him leifand 1549 Compl. 67/21.
Finkil, that slais the virmis of the bellye 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 14.
Dolore of the intestynis, speciallie colik dolore, with wormis a1570 6th Rep. Hist. MSS App. 652/1.
The Doctour … heicht to send our sum thing that suld be remeide for the wormis

7. fig. A vile, unpleasant or venemous person. a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 251.
Dathane deivillis sone and dragone dispitous … Wod werwoif worme and scorpion vennemous c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 89.
I have ane wallidrag ane worme ane auld wobat carle a1605 Montg. Flyt. 371 (T).
Thow art markit for a meischeif, Foule vnworthie worme! a1605 Montg. Flyt. 450 (T).
Resave this harlot of our hand In name of Mahoun That this worme in our wark sick wonder can wirk And throw poysoun of this poyd our practic prevaillis

8. A screw used to remove the charge or wad from a muzzle-loading gun. 1580 Reg. Privy C. III 320.
Thre chargeouris … with thre moppettis to serve the saidis peces, and twa irne wormes 1633 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 384.
For thrie wormes to the cannones xl s. 1644 Irving Dumbartonsh. I App. 104.
Twelve rammers for cannon. Thrie wormes therfor 1697 Whitelaw Sc. Arms Makers 196.
4000 priming irons and 4000 wormes for gunnes