IdiomAnimals
English
Englishworm something out of someone
Meaning: To get information from someone gradually and persistently.
Example: “It took all evening, but I finally wormed the name of her new boyfriend out of her.”
Origin: Recorded from the early 1700s: a worm works its way through tight places by patient twisting, just as a persistent questioner extracts a secret bit by bit.
Equivalents in other languages
French: Tirer les vers du nez Literally: To pull worms from the nose
More English idioms
- lie low To stay out of sight and avoid attention.
- eat one's words To admit that something one said was wrong.
- have a big head To be conceited; to think too highly of oneself.
- get lucky To succeed in having a sexual encounter.
- shout it from the rooftops To tell everyone about something, openly and loudly.
- have itchy feet To feel a restless urge to travel or move on.
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