the early bird gets the worm
Whoever arrives first has the best chance of success; some opportunities are available only to the first competitors.
worm
/wɜːm/
noun 6verb 5name 1
Collocations
3(noun.)
WORM + VERB
burrow, crawl
The earthworm crawled slowly across the wet garden path after the rain.
wriggle, writhe
The earthworms writhed in the wet soil after the heavy rain last night.
WORM + NOUN
cast
Definitions
noun
1
A generally tubular invertebrate of the annelid phylum; an earthworm.
‘Children crawled over each other like little grey worms in the gutters,’ he said. ‘The only red things about them were their buttocks and they were raw. Their faces looked as if snails had slimed on them and their mothers were like great sick beasts whose byres had never been cleared.[…]’
2
More loosely, any of various tubular invertebrates resembling annelids but not closely related to them, such as velvet worms, acorn worms, flatworms, or roundworms.
Leaning that I might eat, I stretched and clung Over the shapeless depth in which those corpses hung. A woman’s shape, now lank and cold and blue, The dwelling of the many-coloured worm, Hung there […]
3
Any creeping or crawling animal, such as a snake, snail, or caterpillar.
1561, Geneva Bible, Acts 28:3-4, And when Paul had gathered a nomber of stickes, & laid them on the fyre, there came a viper out of the heat, and leapt on his hand. Now when the Barbarians sawe the worme hang on his hand, they said among them selues This man surely is a murtherer, whome, thogh he hathe escaped the sea, yet Vengeance hathe not suffred to liue.
[…] No, ’tis slander, Whose edge is sharper than the sword, whose tongue Outvenoms all the worms of Nile […]
4
A type of wingless "dragon", especially a gigantic sea serpent or any kind of dragon.
In the Cross of Cong (A.D. 1123) the Celtic inter-laced patterns are found side by side with the "worm-dragon" ornament ..
Indeed the allusion to the more renowned worm killed by the Wælsing is sufficient indication that the poet selected a dragon of well-founded purpose[.]
5
A type of wingless "dragon", especially a gigantic sea serpent or any kind of dragon.
verb
1
To make (one's way) with a crawling motion.
We wormed our way through the underbrush.
I took a firm grip of Josella's hand, and we started to worm our way along as unobviously as possible.
2
To move with one's body dragging the ground.
Inch by inch I wormed along the secret passageway, flat to the ground, not once raising my head, hardly daring to pull a full breath[…].
3
To work one's way by artful or devious means.
When debates and fretting jealousy / Did worm and work within you more and more, / Your colour faded.
4
To work (one's way or oneself) (into) gradually or slowly; to insinuate.
He wormed his way into the organization.
With “facts” generated by Wikipedia worming themselves into every corner of our digital lives, such as your Alexa speaker or iPhone, perhaps it’s the ubiquity of information that’s the problem – and something that should concern us all.
5
To effect, remove, drive, draw, or the like, by slow and secret means.
They […]find themselves wormed out of all power.
noun
1
Initialism of write once, read many.
Thesaurus
Idioms & Phrases
the early bird catches the worm
Alternative form of the early bird gets the worm.
worm food
One or more corpses, especially in a state of decay; remains.
"Say, have ye a drug that will make worm's food of your enemy in an hour?"
worm turns
Circumstances change so that a previously disadvantaged party gains the advantage, or vice-versa.
"The poor old Worm turns as if she was treading on him instead of cuddling him like a pussy cat."
even a worm will turn
Even the meekest or most docile people will retaliate or seek revenge if pushed too far.
The ſmalleſt Worme will turne, being troden on, / And Doues will pecke in ſafegard of their Brood.
Example Bank
601
‘Children crawled over each other like little grey worms in the gutters,’ he said. ‘The only red things about them were their buttocks and they were raw. Their faces looked as if snails had slimed on
Wiktionary02
Leaning that I might eat, I stretched and clung Over the shapeless depth in which those corpses hung. A woman’s shape, now lank and cold and blue, The dwelling of the many-coloured worm, Hung there […
Wiktionary03
1561, Geneva Bible, Acts 28:3-4, And when Paul had gathered a nomber of stickes, & laid them on the fyre, there came a viper out of the heat, and leapt on his hand. Now when the Barbarians sawe the wo
Wiktionary04
We wormed our way through the underbrush.
Wiktionary05
I took a firm grip of Josella's hand, and we started to worm our way along as unobviously as possible.
Wiktionary06
Inch by inch I wormed along the secret passageway, flat to the ground, not once raising my head, hardly daring to pull a full breath[…].
WiktionaryUsage Notes
i Register
In some senses, worm is marked as archaic, figuratively, poetic. Watch for register when choosing this word.
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