|
| crawl [ krawl ] |
intransitive verb (past and past participle crawled, present participle crawl·ing, 3rd person present singular crawls) |
|
| Definition: |
| |
1. move close to ground: to move slowly along on hands and knees or with the body close to the ground or a surface
|
2. move slowly close to surface: to move slowly across something with the body close to or touching the surface
|
3. move very slowly: to move forward at a slow pace
|
4. be overrun: to be filled with large numbers of moving people or things
  The place was crawling with reporters.
|
5. feel creepy: to feel a sensation of being covered with moving insects, usually in reaction to something frightening or disgusting
made his skin crawl
|
6. be servile: to try to please somebody by behaving in a servile way
(
informal
)
|
7. botany grow across surface: to grow and spread along a surface by means of tendrils or clinging stems
(
refers to vines or low-growing plants
)
|
noun |
|
| Definition: |
| |
1. slow speed: a very slow pace
|
2. overarm swimming stroke: a fast swimming stroke in which the swimmer lies face down and uses a flutter kick and an overarm stroke
|
3. progress on hands and knees: slow movement on hands and knees or with the body close to the ground or a surface
|
4. moving words on television or film: words or figures that are scrolled across a television or movie screen to convey information, e.g. programming credits or news bulletins
|
| [14th century. Probably < Old Norse krafla "paw with the hands"] |
|
| crawl·ing·ly adverb |
|
