Twisting and wriggling; in a state of squirming motion.
From a- + squirm, where squirm itself derives from Middle English, possibly from Scandinavian roots related to twisting movements. The 'a-' prefix marks the ongoing state of making squirming motions.
'Asquirm' is one of the most vivid surviving 'a-' words because squirming is such a visceral, uncomfortable sensation—kids naturally use descriptions like 'worms asquirm' in their writing, showing how these archaic forms still have an intuitive appeal despite being old-fashioned.
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