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IT CAME FROM A SPECIES OF WORM THAT LIKED TO LIVE IN BOOKS? :)
Didn't old books (long time ago) get worms in them? The worm lives in the book (spends time in the book). Therefore a bookworm is someone who spends a lot of time in a book.
In Russian language there is exactly same expression.
I think there is an good explanation to it. In previous centuries there was no so many chemicals. All the material which the books were made of were natural. Books in libraries were full of insects that ate paper, glue and cane threads. No surprise a person who spends a lot of time with the books was named a bookworm. Meaning is close to a "computer nerd" nowadays)))))).
Bookworms are real creatures (at least they used to be) -- they are kinda like the caterpillars of those moths that get into your flour and clothes. Who knows, maybe they're the same species? Anybody besides me ever seen the tunnels they make in old books? Look kinda like the tunnels made in old wood floors by termites.
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by raylrodr on April 28th, 2009
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Could this possible be the origin of the nasty word "skank"?
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by sm00z on November 19th, 2008
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by cehowski on November 3rd, 2010
| 1 person likes this
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Bookworms are real creatures (at least they used to be) -- they are kinda like the caterpillars of those moths that get into your flour and clothes. Who knows, maybe they're the same species? Anybody besides me ever seen the tunnels they make in old books? Look kinda like the tunnels made in old wood floors by termites.
by wizzard2134 on February 14th, 2010