squirm out
squirm out (of something)
1. To crawl, wriggle, or squeeze to become freed from some narrow cramped, or confined place or thing. My daughter squirmed out of my arms when I tried to brush her hair. Once the cat saw that I wasn't going to hurt it, it squirmed out of its hiding place and crept toward me.
2. To disentangle oneself from some situation, duty, or responsibility, especially through sly, devious, or You've squirmed your way out of doing the dishes for the last time! Sally always finds some way to squirm out of any trouble she gets herself into.
3. To disentangle oneself from some situation, duty, or responsibility, especially through sly, devious, or cunning means. You've squirmed out of doing the dishes for the last time! Sally always finds some way to squirm out of any trouble she gets herself into. I told you that the whole company has to be there to do the inventory count—you're not squirming out this time!
See also: out, squirm
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
squirm out
(of something)1. Lit. to crawl or wiggle out of something. The worm squirmed out of its hole and was gobbled up by a bird. The worm squirmed out.
2. Fig. to escape doing something; to escape the responsibility for having done something. He agreed to go but squirmed out at the last minute. You did it and you can't squirm out of it by denying it!
See also: out, squirm
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
squirm out
v.
1. To extricate oneself by sly or subtle means from some situation; worm one's way out of some situation: She squirmed out of the promise she'd made without upsetting anyone. He was supposed to wash the dishes tonight, but somehow he squirmed out.
2. To free oneself from something by turning, twisting, or writhing the body: The fish squirmed out of my grasp. I put the snake in a bag, but it squirmed out.
See also: out, squirm
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
- squirm out (of something)
- squeeze into
- squeeze into (something)
- squirm
- squirm in
- squirm into (something)
- worm into
- worm into (something or some place)
- worm out of (something or some place)
- squeeze in