squirm
/skwɜːm/ (bre, ipa) · /skwɜːrm/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈskwərm/ (ame, mw) · /skwɝːm/ (ame, ipa)
squirm — 動詞
- squirmpresent simple I / you / we / they
- squirmshe / she / it
- squirmedpast simple
- squirming-ing form
1. to keep twisting and turning your body in small restless movements, usually beca
扭動；蠕動
因不適或想掙脫而不停扭動身體
to keep twisting and turning your body in small restless movements, usually because you are uncomfortable, in pain, or trying to get loose
The toddler squirmed in his car seat for the whole long drive home.
回家的整段長途車程中，那個小小孩一直在汽車座椅上扭動。
squirm in + place for restless movement
Rafael held the wet puppy gently, but it squirmed until he set it down.
Rafael 輕輕抱著那隻濕答答的小狗，但牠一直扭動，直到他把牠放下。
squirm to get loose from a hold
A worm squirmed across the muddy path after the heavy rain.
大雨過後，一條蟲在泥濘的小路上蠕動爬過。
Tamar squirmed free of the tight blanket and kicked it onto the floor.
Tamar 扭動身體掙脫了那條緊緊的毯子，把它踢到地上。
The children twisted and squirmed on the hard bench, unable to sit still.
孩子們在硬邦邦的長椅上又轉又扭，沒辦法乖乖坐好。
- stay still
the opposite is keeping the body calm and motionless
文法句型
squirm + adverb (free, away, around)
squirm in/on + place
用法筆記
Subject is usually a person or animal that cannot stay still. Distinguish from sense 2: here the movement is physical, not the feeling of embarrassment.
常見錯誤
2. to feel so embarrassed or uneasy about a situation that you wish you could escap
侷促不安
因尷尬或難堪而渾身不自在
to feel so embarrassed or uneasy about a situation that you wish you could escape it
Saira squirmed with embarrassment when the teacher read her diary aloud.
老師大聲念出 Saira 的日記時，她尷尬得渾身不自在。
squirm with + embarrassment
The host's rude joke made every guest at the table squirm.
主人那個無禮的玩笑，讓餐桌上的每位客人都侷促不安。
make someone squirm
Kofi began to squirm as the interviewer asked about his old lie.
面試官問起他以前說過的謊時，Kofi 開始坐立難安。
Watching the actor forget his lines made the whole audience squirm.
看著那名演員忘詞，全場觀眾都覺得渾身不自在。
- relax
feel calm and at ease instead of uncomfortable
文法句型
squirm with + embarrassment/shame
make someone squirm
用法筆記
Frequently appears as 'make someone squirm' to describe causing discomfort on purpose. Distinguish from sense 1: no real body movement is needed, only the feeling.
常見錯誤
squirm — 名詞
- squirmsingular
- squirmsplural
1. a quick twisting movement of the body, often made because you feel restless or u
扭動
因不安或不適而做的快速扭身動作
a quick twisting movement of the body, often made because you feel restless or uneasy
With a quick squirm, the small cat slipped out of Hari's hands.
那隻小貓身子一扭，就從 Hari 的手中溜走了。
with a squirm + escape
Élise gave a little squirm of guilt when the missing money came up.
提到那筆不見的錢時，Élise 因為心虛而身子微微一扭。
a squirm of + emotion
The baby twisted away from the spoon with a stubborn squirm.
寶寶身子一扭，倔強地別過頭避開那支湯匙。
Yan felt a sudden squirm of guilt as the headteacher named the broken window.
校長提到那扇破掉的窗戶時，Yan 心虛地身子猛地一扭。
文法句型
a squirm of + emotion
give a squirm
用法筆記
Often follows 'a' or 'a little' and is paired with a body action or an emotion (a squirm of guilt). The verb form is far more common than this noun.