noun
terrestrial worm that burrows into and helps aerate soil; often surfaces when the ground is cool or wet; used as bait by anglers
• Syn:
↑earthworm, ↑angleworm, ↑fishworm, ↑fishing worm, ↑wiggler, ↑nightcrawler, ↑crawler, ↑dew worm, ↑red worm
• Hypernyms: ↑oligochaete, ↑oligochaete worm
• Member Holonyms: ↑Oligochaeta, ↑class Oligochaeta
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\\ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷\ nounEtymology: Middle English, from night (I) + walker
1.
a. : a person who roves about at night especially with criminal intent
b. : a prostitute who walks the street at night
2.
a. : an animal active at night
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—nightwalking, adj., n.
/nuyt"waw'keuhr/, n.
1. a person who walks or roves about at night, esp. a thief, prostitute, etc.
2. New Eng. an earthworm.
[1475-85; NIGHT + WALKER]
Regional Variation. 2. See earthworm.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.