King James Bible Dictionary

1. Heb. sas (Isaiah 51:8), denotes the caterpillar of the clothes-moth.

2. The manna bred worms (tola'im), but on the Sabbath there was not any worm (rimmah) therein (Exodus 16:20, 24). Here these words refer to caterpillars or larvae, which feed on corrupting matter.

These two Hebrew words appear to be interchangeable (Job 25:6; Isaiah 14:11). Tola'im in some places denotes the caterpillar (Deuteronomy 28:39; Jonah 4:7), and rimmah, the larvae, as bred from putridity (Job 17:14; 21:26; 24:20). In Micah 7:17, where it is said, "They shall move out of their holes like worms," perhaps serpents or "creeping things," or as in the Revised Version, "crawling things," are meant.

The word is used figuratively in Job 25:6; Psalms 22:6; Isaiah 41:14; Mark 9:44, 46, 48; Isaiah 66:24.

General references
Exodus 16:20; Exodus 16:24; Jonah 4:7

Herod eaten of
Acts 12:23

Figurative:

General references
Job 25:6; Isaiah 41:14; Isaiah 66:24

Of remorse
Mark 9:44; Mark 9:46; Mark 9:48

the representative in the Authorized Version of several Hebrew words. Sas , which occurs in (Isaiah 51:18) probably denotes some particular species of moth, whose larva is injurious to wool. Rimmah , (Exodus 16:20) points evidently to various kinds of maggots and the larv' of insects which feed on putrefying animal matter, rather than to earthworms. Toleah is applied in (28:39) to some kinds of larv' destructive to the vines. In (Job 19:26; 21:26; 24:20) there is an allusion to worms (insect larv') feeding on the dead bodies of the buried. There is the same allusion in (Isaiah 66:24) which words are applied by our Lord, (Mark 9:44,46,48) metaphorically to the torments of the guilty in the world of departed spirits. The valley of Hinnom near Jerusalem, where the filth of the city was cast, was alive with worms. The death of Herod Agrippa I, was caused by worms. (Acts 12:23)

WORM, noun [G. This word is probably named form a winding motion, and the root of swarm.]

1. In common usage, any small creeping animal, or reptile, either entirely without feet, or with very short ones, including a great variety of animals of different classes and orders, viz. Certain small serpents, as the blind-worm or slow-worm; the larvas of insects, viz. Grubs, caterpillars and maggots, as the wood-worm, canker-worm, silk-worm, (the larva of a moth (Phaloena, ) which spins the filaments of which silk is made, ) the grub that injures corn, grass, etc., the worms that breed in putrid flesh, the bots in the stomach of horses, and many others; certain wingless insects, as the glow-worm; the intestinal worms, or such as breed in the cavities and organs of living animals, as the tape-worm, the round-worm, the fluke, etc.; and numerous animals found in the earth, and in water, particularly in the sea, as the earth-worm or lumbricus, the hair-worm or gordius, the teredo, or worm that bores in to the bottom of ships, etc. Worms, in the plural, in common usage, is used for intestinal worms, or those which breed in the stomach and bowels, particularly the round and thread worms, (lumbrici and ascarides, ) which are often found there in great numbers; as we say, a child has worms.

2. In zoology, the term Vermes or worms has been applied to different divisions of invertebral animals, by different naturalists. Linnes class of vermes, includes the following orders, viz. Intestina, including the proper intestinal worms the earth-worm, the hair-worm, the teredo, and some other marine worms; Mollusca, including the slug, and numerous soft animals inhabiting the water, particularly the sea; Testacea, including all the proper shell-fish; Zoophyta or compound animals, including corals, polypes, and spunges; and Infusoria, or simple microscopic animlacules. His character of the class is, --spiracles obscure, jaws various, organs of sense usually tentacula, no brain, ears nor nostrils, limbs wanting, frequently hermaphrodite. This class includes all the invertebral animals, except the insects and crustacea. The term Vermes has been since greatly limited, particularly by the French naturalists. Lamarch confined it to the intestinal worms, and some others, whose organization is equally imperfect. The character of his class is, suboviparous, body soft, highly reproductive, undergo no metamorphosis; no eyes, nor articulated limbs, nor radiated disposition of internal organs.

3. Remorse; that which incessantly gnaws the conscience; that which torments.

Where their worm dieth not. Mark 9:44.

4. A being debased and despised.

I am a worm and no man. Psalms 22:6.

5. A spiral instrument or iron screw, used for drawing wads and cartridges from cannon or small arms.

6. Something spiral, vermiculated, or resembling a worm; as the threads of a screw.

7. In chemistry and distilleries, a spiral leaden pipe placed in a tub of water, through which the vapor passes in distillation, and in which it is cooled and condensed. It is called also a serpentine.

8. A small worm-like ligament situated beneath a dogs tongue.

WORM, verb intransitive To work slowly, gradually and secretly.

When debates and fretting jealousy did worm and work within you more and more, your color faded.

WORM, verb transitive

1. To expel or undermine by slow and secret means.

They find themselves wormed out of all power.

2. To cut something, called a worm from under the tongue of a dog.

3. To draw the wad or cartridge from a gun; to clean by the worm

4. To wind a rope spirally round a cable, between the strands; or to wind a smaller rope with spun yarn.

To worm ones self into, to enter gradually by arts and insinuations; as to worm ones self into favor.

WORM-EATEN, adjective [worm and eat.]

1. Gnawed by worms; as worm-eaten boards, planks or timber.

2. Old; worthless.

WORMED, participle passive Cleared by a worm or screw.

WORM-GRASS, noun A plant of the genus Spigalia.

WORMING, participle present tense Entering by insinuation; drawing, as a cartridge; clearing, as a gun.

WORMLIKE, adjective Resembling a worm; spiral; vermicular.

WORM-POWDER, noun A powder used for expelling worms from the stomach and intestines.

WORM-SEED, noun

1. A seed which has the property of expelling worms from the stomach, bowels, and intestines. It is said to be brought from Persia, and to be the produce of a species of Artemisia.

2. A plant of the genus Chenopodium.

WORM-TINCTURE, noun A tincture prepared from earth-worms dried, pulverized and mixed with oil of tartar, spirit of wine, saffron and castor.

Heb. la'anah, the Artemisia absinthium of botanists. It is noted for its intense bitterness (Deuteronomy 29:18; Proverbs 5:4; Jeremiah 9:15; Amos 5:7). It is a type of bitterness, affliction, remorse, punitive suffering. In Amos 6:12 this Hebrew word is rendered "hemlock" (R.V., "wormwood"). In the symbolical language of the Apocalypse (Revelation 8:10, 11) a star is represented as falling on the waters of the earth, causing the third part of the water to turn wormwood.

The name by which the Greeks designated it, absinthion, means "undrinkable." The absinthe of France is distilled from a species of this plant. The "southernwood" or "old man," cultivated in cottage gardens on account of its fragrance, is another species of it.

A bitter plant
Deuteronomy 29:18

Figurative
Deuteronomy 29:18; Proverbs 5:4; Jeremiah 9:15; Jeremiah 23:15; Lamentations 3:19

Symbolic
Revelation 8:11

Four kinds of wormwood are found in Palestine

Artemisia nilotica , A. Judaica , A. fructicosa and A. cinerea . The word occurs frequently in the Bible, and generally in a metaphorical sense. In (Jeremiah 9:15; 23:15; Lamentations 3:15,19) wormwood is symbolical of bitter calamity and sorrow; unrighteous judges are said to "turn judgment to wormwood." (Amos 5:7) The Orientals typified sorrows, cruelties and calamities of any kind by plants of a poisonous or bitter nature.

WORMWOOD, noun [G.] A plant, the artemisia. It has a bitter nauseous taste; but it is stomachic and corroborant.

Tree-wormwood, a species of Artemisia, with woody stalks.

WORMWOOD-FLY, noun A small black fly, found on the stalks of wormwood.

WORMY, adjective

1. Containing a worm; abounding with worms.

2. Earthy; groveling.