Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - worm

~1 n 1 a long thin creature with no bones and no legs that lives in soil 2 someone who you do not like or respect 3 have worms to have parasites (=small creature that eats your food or your blood) in your body 4 the worm turns literary used to say that someone who is normally quiet and obedient will change if they really need to  (- see also can of worms can2 (4)) ~2 v 1 worm your way into/through etc to move through a small place or a crowd slowly, carefully, or with difficulty  (They wormed their way through the crowd.) 2 worm your way into sb's affections/heart/confidence etc to gradually make someone love or trust you, especially by being dishonest 3 worm sth out of sb to get information from someone who does not want to give it 4 worm your way out of (doing) sth to avoid doing something that you have been asked to do by making an excuse that is dishonest but clever  (Steve has managed to worm his way out of going to the meeting.) 5 to give an animal medicine in order to remove parasites (1) that live inside them