Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

even a worm will turn

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.75 in modern English

Syllables
even a -wor-m will -turn
IPA
28
Scrabble Score
17
Letters
4
Syllables
12
Unique Chars

Meaning

proverb

Even the meekest or most docile people will retaliate or seek revenge if pushed too far.

Example Sentences

  • "The ſmalleſt Worme will turne, being troden on, / And Doues will pecke in ſafegard of their Brood."

Etymology

First attested in a collection of proverbs by John Heywood in 1546, in the form “Treade a worme on the tayle, and it must turne agayne.” Popularized by William Shakespeare in The Third Part of Henry the Sixth, see quotations.

Phrases

worm turns turnabout is fair play

Frequently Paired Words

worm turns turnabout is fair play

Questions

What does even a worm will turn mean?
Even the meekest or most docile people will retaliate or seek revenge if pushed too far.
Where does even a worm will turn come from?
First attested in a collection of proverbs by John Heywood in 1546, in the form “Treade a worme on the tayle, and it must turne agayne.” Popularized by William Shakespeare in The Third Part of Henry the Sixth, see quotations.

How to pronounce even a worm will turn

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “even a worm will turn”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “even a worm will turn”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “even a worm will turn” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.