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.
Derivatives:
crawlingly adv. crawly adj. (in senses 5, 6 of v.).
Etymology: ME: orig. unkn.: cf. Sw. kravla, Da. kravle