Squirm

/skwɜːrm/ verb

Definition

To twist and wriggle your body, usually in discomfort or embarrassment.

Etymology

From Middle Low German 'quirmen,' possibly related to Germanic roots meaning 'to turn.' The word entered English in the 17th century as an expressive term for writhing motion.

Kelly Says

Squirming is actually a sign of high anxiety in humans—it's the result of your fight-or-flight system activating your muscles even though you're not going anywhere, so your body just fidgets and wiggles instead.

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