squirm

Meanings

Verb

• To twist one's body with snakelike motions.
• To twist in discomfort, especially from shame or embarrassment.
• To evade a question, an interviewer etc.

Noun

• A twisting, snakelike movement of the body.

Origin

• First recorded late 17th c.; uncertain origin. Perhaps imitative or related to worm (in the sense of writhing movement) or swarm.