Emily Dickinson Lexicon

VER-ME-OL'O-GY, n. [L. vermes, worms, and Gr. λογος, discourse.]

A discourse or treatise on vermes, or that part of natural history which treats of vermes. [Not used.] [Helminthology is the legitimate term.]

VER'MES, n. [plur. L.]

Worms: this is the same word, varied in orthography.

VER-MI-CEL'LI, n. [It. vermicello, a little worm, L. vermiculus, from vermis, a worm.]

In cookery, little rolls or threads of paste, or a composition of flour, eggs, sugar and saffron; used in soups and pottages.

VER-MIC'EOUS, a. [L. vermes.]

Pertaining to worms; wormy.

VER-MIC'U-LAR, a. [L. vermiculus, a little worm, from vermis, a worm.]

Pertaining to a worm; resembling a worm; particularly, resembling the motion of a worm; as, the vermicular motion of the intestines, called also peristaltic. Cyc. Vermicular or vermiculated work, in sculpture, a sort of ornament consisting of frets or knots in Mosaic pavements, winding and representing the tracks of worms.

VER-MIC'U-LATE, v.t. [L. vermiculatus.]

To inlay; to form work by inlaying, resembling the motion or the tracks of worms.

VER-MIC'U-LA-TED, pp.

Formed in the likeness of the motion of a worm.

VER-MIC'U-LA-TING, ppr.

Forming so as to resemble the motion of a worm.

VER-MIC-U-LA'TION, n.

1. The act or operation of moving in the form of a worm; continuation of motion from one part to another, as in the peristaltic motion of the intestines. – Hale.
2. The act of forming so as to resemble the motion of a worm.

VERM'I-CULE, n. [L. vermiculus.]

A little worm or grub. – Derham.

VER-MIC'U-LOUS, a. [L. vermiculosus.]

1. Full of worms or grubs.
2. Resembling worms.

VERM'I-FORM, a. [L. vermis, a worm, and forma, form.]

Having the form or shape of a worm; as, the vermiform process of the cerebellum.

VERM-IF'U-GAL, a.

Tending to prevent or destroy vermin, or to expel worms. – Lindley.

VERM'I-FUGE, n. [L. vermis, a worm, and fugo, to expel.]

A medicine or substance that expels worms from animal bodies; an anthelmintic.

VER'MIL, or VER-MIL'ION, n. [Fr. vermeil, vermillon; It. vermiglione; from L. vermiculus, vermes; a name sometimes improperly given to the kermes. See Crimson.]

1. The cochineal, a small insect found on a particular plant. [Improper or obsolete.]
2. Red sulphuret of mercury; a bright beautiful red color of two sorts, natural and artificial. The natural is found in silver mines, in the form of a ruddy sand, which is to be prepared by purification or washing, and then levigated with water on a stone. The factitious or common vermilion is artificial cinnabar, ground with white wine, and afterward with the white of an egg.
3. Any beautiful red color. In blushing, the delicate cheek is covered with vermilion.

VER-MIL'ION, v.t. [vermil'yon.]

To dye red; to cover with a delicate red.

VER-MIL'ION-ED, pp. [or adj.]

Dyed or tinged with a bright red.

VERM'IN, n. [sing. and plur.; used chiefly in the plural. Fr. and It. vermine; from L. vermes, worms.]

1. All sorts of small animals which are destructive to grail or other produce; all noxious little animals or insects, squirrels, rats, mice, worms, grubs, flies, &c. These vermin do great injuries in the field. – Mortimer.
2. Used of noxious human beings in contempt; as, base vermin. – Hudibras.

VERM'IN-ATE, v.i. [L. vermino.]

To breed vermin.

VERM-IN-A'TION, n.

1. The breeding of vermin. – Derham.
2. A griping of the bowels.

VERM'IN-LY,

adv [or adj.] Like vermin; of the nature of vermin.

VERM'IN-OUS, a.

Tending to breed vermin. The verminous disposition of the body. – Harvey.

VERM-IP'A-ROUS, a. [L. vermes, worms, and pario, to bear.]

Producing worms. – Brown.

VERM-IV'O-ROUS, a. [L. vermes, worms, and voro, to devour.]

Devouring worms; feeding on worms. Vermivorous birds are very useful to the farmer.

VER-NAC'U-LAR, a. [L. vernaculus, born in one's house, from verna, a servant.]

1. Native; belonging to the country of one's birth. English is our vernacular language. The vernacular idiom is seldom perfectly acquired by foreigners.
2. Native; belonging to the person by birth or nature. – Milner. A vernacular disease, is one which prevails in a particular country or district; more generally called endermic.