writhe

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writhe / rī[voicedth]/ • v. [intr.] make continual twisting, squirming movements or contortions of the body: he writhed in agony on the ground. ∎  [tr.] cause to move in such a way: a snake writhing its body in a sinuous movement. ∎  (writhe in/with/at) respond with great emotional or physical discomfort to (a violent or unpleasant feeling or thought): she bit her lip, writhing in suppressed fury.• n. rare a twisting, squirming movement.