wurmen

Meaning

to cause a not necessarily strong but continuous feeling of anger, worry, or regret in someone; to rankle

Concepts

convulse

Synonyms

ärgern

nerven

abnerven

sich fressen in

Translations

rester sur le coeur

vervelen

gücendirmek

sinirlendirmek

içine dert olmak

acısı geçmemek

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈvʊʁmən/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle High German: wurmen

Inherited from Old High German: wormōn

In summary

From Wurm (“worm”) + -en. Formally already in Middle High German wurmen and Old High German wormōn, but with unrelated senses. Since the 15th century “to have worms, be wormridden”. The contemporary meaning since the later 18th century, seemingly popularised in part by Goethe. Evoking the idea of a nibbling worm in one’s mind or conscience, perhaps remotely based on Isaiah 66:24, Mark 9:44 (“where their worm dieth not”, of the continuous agony and regret of the sinners in hell).