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in the general devastation of the palatinate in 1689, part of 
the inhabitants retired to Frankfort on the Maine, or to Hol¬ 
land ; and many of the houses were never rebuilt, the ground 
belonging to them being laid out in gardens. Of late, how¬ 
ever, the place is rather on the increase; the inhabitants, 
amounting in 1801, to only 4800, having been found, by a 
late return, to be 5700. The greater part are Lutherans, the 
Catholics being few, the Calvinists still fewer. The public 
buildings are the mint, the town-house, in which Luther ap¬ 
peared before the diet in 1521, and the new church. The 
environs of Worms are fertile, and remarked for the quality 
of their wine; but the title of the town to historic notice, 
arises from its having been frequently the seat of the diet of 
the empire. Few places have suffered more from war and 
other calamities. So early as 407 it was ravaged by the 
Vandals; in 451, and 538, by the Huns. It has suffered also 
by fires; and on one or two occasions, by earthquakes. It 
is now subject to Hesse-Darnrstadt, and is 25 miles south of 
Mentz. 
WORMS.—The former bishopric of this name comprised 
a territory in the west of Germany, of the extent of 170 
square miles, with 18,000 inhabitants. It was divided into 
two parts by the Rhine; and, at the peace of Luneville in 
1801, the portion to the west of that river was ceded to 
France, while that to the east was given to Hesse-Darmstadt. 
At present, the whole belongs to the latter power. 
WORMSHILL, or Wormsf.ix, a parish of England, in 
Kent; 6 miles from Charing. 
WORMSLEY, a parish of England, in Herefordshire, near 
Weobly.—2. A parish in Oxfordshire; 6 | miles south-east 
of Tefs worth. 
WORMSOE, a small island of European Russia, in the 
Baltic, on the coast of Esthonia, in lat. 49. N. long. 22. E. 
It contains a village, inhabited by Swedes. 
WORMSTALL, a hamlet of England, in the parish of 
Kintbury, Berkshire. 
WO'RMWOOD, s. A plant,— Worm-wood hath an in¬ 
determinate stalk, branching out into many small shoots, 
with spikes of naked flowers hanging downward ; the leaves 
are hoary and bitter. Of this plant there are thirty-two 
species, one of which, the common -worm-wood, grows in the 
roads; but it is also planted in gardens for common use. 
Great variety of sea -wormwoods are found in the salt marshes 
of England, and sold in the markets for the true Roman 
wormwood, though they differ greatly. Miller. 
She was wean’d; I had then laid 
Wormwood to my dug. Shakspearc. 
WO'RMY, adj. Full of worms. 
Spirits that in crossways and floods have burial, 
Already to their wormy beds are gone. Shakspeare. 
Earthy ; grovelling.—By greatness of mind we are brought 
to a just contempt of sordid and wormy affections. Bp. 
Reynolds. 
WORN. Part. pass, of -wear. Worn out is quite con¬ 
sumed. 
His is a maiden shield. 
Guiltless in fight: mine batter’d, hew’d, and bor’d. 
Worn out of service, must forsake his lord. Dryden. 
WO'RNIL, s. In the backs of cows in the summer, are 
maggots generated, which in Essex we call wornils, being 
first only a small knot in the skin. Derham. 
WORONZOW, Point, a cape in Cook’s inlet, on the 
west coast of North America. Lat. 60. 8 . N. long. 210.36. E. 
WORPLESDON, a parish of England, in Surrey, near 
Guildford. Population 993. 
WO'RRIER, s. One who worries or torments.—More 
material and coarser sort of dcemons, conceived the worriers 
of souls. Spenser. 
To WO'RRY, v. a. [popigan, Saxon, depopulari; cog- 
natum, sine dubio, Su. Goth., -warg, wargr, lupus, latro : a 
Germ, wurgen, trucidare, premere, strangulare. Serenius. 
The old word seems to be in the following passage: “ To 
Vol. XXIV. No. 1669. 
-werre each other, and to slay.”—To tear, or mangle, as a 
beast tears its prey. 
If we with thrice such powers left at home, 
Cannot defend our own doors from the dog; 
Let us be worried. Shakspeare. 
This revives and imitates that inhuman barbarity of the 
old heathen persecutors, wrapping up Christians in the skins 
of wild beasts, that so they might be worried and torn in 
pieces by dogs. South. —To harass, or persecute brutally.— 
Then embraces his son-in-law; then again worries he his 
daughter with clipping her. Shakspeare. 
WORSBOROUGII, a township of England, in the West 
Riding of Yorkshire. Population 1073. 
WORSE, aclj. The comparative of bad: bad, worse, 
worst, [pipp, Saxon ; wairs, M. Goth.] More bad; more 
ill.—In happiness and misery, the question still remains, how 
men come often to prefer the worse to the better, and to 
chuse that, which, by their own confession, has made them 
miserable. Locke. 
WORSE, adv. In a manner more bad.—The more one 
sickens, the worse at ease he is. Shakspeare. 
The WORSE, s. The loss; not the advantage; not the 
better. 
Was never man, who most conquests atchiev’d. 
But sometimes had the worse, and lost by war. Spenser. 
Something less good.—A man, whatever are his profes¬ 
sions, always thinks the worse of a woman, who forgives him 
for making an attempt on her virtue. Richardson. 
To WORSE, v. a. To put to disadvantage. This word, 
though analogical enough, is not now used. 
Perhaps more valid arms. 
Weapons more violent, when next we meet, 
May serve to better us, and worse our foes. Milton. 
To WO'RSEN, v. a. To worse.—It worsens and slugs 
the most learned. Milton. 
WO'RSER, adj. A barbarous word, formed by corrupt¬ 
ing worse with the usual comparative termination. 
Gods! take my breath from me: 
Let not my worser spirit tempt me again 
To die before you please. 
WO'RSHIP, s. [peop<5pcype, Saxon.] 
nence; excellence. 
My train are men of choice, and rarest parts, 
That all particulars of duty know; 
And in the most exact regard support 
The worship of their names. 
A character of honour. 
Shakspeare. 
Dignity; emi- 
Shakspcare. 
I belong to worship, and effect 
In honour, honesty. Shakspeare. 
A title of honour.—Dinner is on table; my father desires 
your worship's company. Shakspeare. —A term of ironical 
respect. 
Against your worship, when had S—k writ? 
Or P—ge pour’d forth the torrent of his wit? Pope. 
Adoration; religious act of reverence. 
They join their vocal worship to the quire 
Of creatures wanting voice. Milton. 
Honour; respect; civil deference.—The humble guest 
shall have worship in the presence of those who sit at meat 
with him. St. Luke. 
’Tis not your inky brows, your black silk hair. 
Your bugle eyeballs, nor your cheek of cream 
That can entame my spirits to your worship. Shakspeare. 
To WO'RSHIP, v. a. To adore; to honour or venerate 
with religious rites. 
On the smooth rind the passenger shall see 
Thy name engrav’d, and worship Helen’s tree. Dryden. 
To respect; to honour ; to treat with civil reverence. 
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