[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/wriggling/)

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# wriggling

verb, -ing form of «wriggle» (wriggle, wriggles, wriggled, wriggling); adjective (a wriggling worm)

«wriggling» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Wriggling means twisting and turning your body with quick small movements. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wriggling/#m1)
2. Wriggling (out of something) means trying to avoid doing something or to escape from a difficult situation. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wriggling/#m2)

### In the lessons

In science lessons, worms, maggots and fish move by wriggling. In everyday life and stories, children wriggle in their seats when bored or excited, and a puppy wriggles out of someone's arms. «Wriggling out of a job» means trying to avoid it. Phrases: «wriggling worm», «wriggling free», «wriggle out of».

### Examples

- A wriggling worm came up after the rain. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wriggling/#x1)
- Stop wriggling and sit still! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wriggling/#x2)
- The puppy kept wriggling out of my arms. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wriggling/#x3)
- The fish was wriggling on the line. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wriggling/#x4)
- He was wriggling out of doing the washing-up. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wriggling/#x5)
- The baby was wriggling in her pram. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wriggling/#x6)
- The caterpillar was wriggling along the leaf. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wriggling/#x7)
- She was wriggling her body in distress. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wriggling/#x8)

### Note

From «wriggle»: drop the e before -ing. The w is silent. Similar: «wiggle», «squirm», «twist».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «wriggling» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/wriggling/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«wriggling» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/wriggling.html) on Mova free.