From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Vermin \Ver"min\, n. sing. & pl.; used chiefly as plural. [OE.
vermine, F. vermine, from L. vermis a worm; cf. LL. vermen a
worm, L. verminosus full of worms. See {Vermicular}, {Worm}.]
1. An animal, in general. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the
earth, and vermin, and worms, and fowls. --Acts x.
12. (Geneva
Bible).
[1913 Webster]
This crocodile is a mischievous fourfooted beast, a
dangerous vermin, used to both elements. --Holland.
[1913 Webster]
2. A noxious or mischievous animal; especially, noxious
little animals or insects, collectively, as squirrels,
rats, mice, worms, flies, lice, bugs, etc. "Cruel hounds
or some foul vermin." --Chaucer.
[1913 Webster]
Great injuries these vermin, mice and rats, do in
the field. --Mortimer.
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They disdain such vermin when the mighty boar of the
forest . . . is before them. --Burke.
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3. Hence, in contempt, noxious human beings.
[1913 Webster]
You are my prisoners, base vermin. --Hudibras.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
vermin
n 1: an irritating or obnoxious person [syn: {vermin},
{varmint}]
2: any of various small animals or insects that are pests; e.g.
cockroaches or rats; "cereals must be protected from mice and
other vermin"; "he examined the child's head for vermin";
"boys in the village have probably been shooting vermin"
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