Also 7 whurl(e-. [f. WHIRL- + WORM sb.]
† 1. An insect larva destructive to plants. Obs.
In quot. 1643 trans. L. convolvulus a caterpillar that rolls itself up in a leaf; in quot. 1658 trans. mod. L. verticillus, Gr. σφονδύλη.
1643. Horn & Robotham, Gate Lang. Unl. (1650), xix. § 217. Earthworms gnaw upon muck-hils…, moths on garments,… whirlworms [margin, The divels gold-ring] on vines.
1658. Rowland, trans. Moufet’s Theat. Ins., 1042. The Northern English call it Andever; the Southern, Whurlworm, that is, a Whirl or little hairy Worm with many feet:… I … collect … that there are two kinds of Whurlworms; one about houses, another in the fields.
2. A turbellarian worm. rare–0. (? An error.)
1891. in Cent Dict.
