crawl 1
— crawlingly , adv.
/krawl/ , v.i.
1. to move in a prone position with the body resting on or close to the ground, as a worm or caterpillar, or on the hands and knees, as a young child.
2. (of plants or vines) to extend tendrils; creep.
3. to move or progress slowly or laboriously: The line of cars crawled behind the slow-moving truck. The work just crawled until we got the new machines.
4. to behave in a remorseful, abject, or cringing manner: Don't come crawling back to me asking for favors.
5. to be, or feel as if, overrun with crawling things: The hut crawled with lizards and insects.
6. Ceram. (of a glaze) to spread unevenly over the surface of a piece.
7. (of paint) to raise or contract because of an imperfect bond with the underlying surface.
v.t.
8. to visit or frequent a series of (esp. bars): to crawl the neighborhood pubs.
n.
9. act of crawling; a slow, crawling motion.
10. a slow pace or rate of progress: Traffic slowed to a crawl.
11. Swimming. a stroke in a prone position, characterized by alternate overarm movements combined with the flutter kick.
12. Television , Motion Pictures. titles that slowly move across a screen, providing information.
[ 1150-1200; ME crawlen krafla; cf. Dan kravle to crawl, creep ]
Syn. 1. CRAWL, CREEP refer to methods of moving like reptiles or worms, or on all fours. They are frequently interchangeable, but CRAWL is used of a more prostrate movement than CREEP: A dog afraid of punishment crawls toward his master. CREEP expresses slow progress: A child creeps before walking or running.
crawl 2
/krawl/ , n. Chiefly South Atlantic States.
an enclosure in shallow water on the seacoast, as for confining fish, turtles, etc.: a crab crawl.
[ 1650-60; kraal corral CORRAL; cf. KRAAL ]