v. & n.
v.intr. 1 move slowly, esp. on hands and knees. 2 (of an insect, snake, etc.) move slowly with the body close to the ground etc. 3 walk or move slowly (the train crawled into the station). 4 (often foll. by to) colloq. behave obsequiously or ingratiatingly in the hope of advantage. 5 (often foll. by with) be covered or filled with crawling or moving things, or with people etc. compared to this. 6 (esp. of the skin) feel a creepy sensation. 7 swim with a crawl stroke.
n. 1 an act of crawling. 2 a slow rate of movement. 3 a high-speed swimming stroke with alternate overarm movements and rapid straight-legged kicks. 4 a (usu. in comb.) colloq. a leisurely journey between places of interest (church-crawl). b = pub-crawl. crawlingly adv. crawly adj. (in senses 5, 6 of v.).
[ ME: orig. unkn.: cf. Sw. kravla, Da. kravle ]