crawl

[ krawl ]

/ krɔl /

verb (used without object)

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.

(of plants or vines) to extend tendrils; creep.

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.

to behave in a remorseful, abject, or cringing manner: Don't come crawling back to me asking for favors.

to be, or feel as if, overrun with crawling things: The hut crawled with lizards and insects.

Ceramics. (of a glaze) to spread unevenly over the surface of a piece.

(of paint) to raise or contract because of an imperfect bond with the underlying surface.

verb (used with object)

to visit or frequent a series of (especially bars): to crawl the neighborhood pubs.

Also spider. Digital Technology. to retrieve (data) from a website using a computer program, as in order to index web pages for a search engine: Search engines are constantly crawling the web.

noun

act of crawling; a slow, crawling motion.

a slow pace or rate of progress: Traffic slowed to a crawl.

Swimming. a stroke in a prone position, characterized by alternate overarm movements combined with the flutter kick.

Television, Movies. titles that slowly move across a screen, providing information.

Origin of crawl

1150–1200; Middle English crawlen < Old Norse krafla; compare Danish kravle “to crawl, creep”

synonym study for crawl

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.

OTHER WORDS FROM crawl

crawl·ing·ly, adverb

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH crawl

craw crawl

Words nearby crawl

crawdad, crawdaddy, crawfish, crawford, crawfordsville, crawl, crawler, crawler lane, crawler track, crawley, crawling

Example sentences from the Web for crawling

Perfect for when the kids are still young and crawling all over you.

Why Every Home Needs a Drone This Holiday |Charlie Gilbert |December 8, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
When crawling and walking are imminent, I talk with parents about getting the house ready.

Kids Eat the Darndest Things: Laundry Pods, Teething Necklaces, and More Of The Weirdest Stuff Sending Kids to the E.R. |Russell Saunders |November 14, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Netflix speeds were crawling along making it miserable for customers to stream content.

Porn Fights For Your Right to Surf: Pornhub, YouPorn, and Redtube Lead Charge For Net Neutrality |Aurora Snow |September 13, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
As king, you need to understand that balance, and respect all the creatures, from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope.

The 13 Coolest Movie Dads: ‘Taken,’ ‘Star Wars,’ ‘Die Hard,’ and More |Marlow Stern |June 15, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Many are also asking how on earth Charles could have made such a remark in a room he knew was crawling with journalists.

Charles's Hitler-Putin Comparison Shows Why Many Believe He Is Not Fit To Be King |Tom Sykes |May 22, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Lemaire, crawling up, found him on his knees upon the top of the battered chart-house, improvising a paen of thanksgiving.

Beggars on Horseback |F. Tennyson Jesse
Nobody had been paying any attention to Prophet Elias, who had been crawling like a torpid caterpillar.

When Egypt Went Broke |Holman Day
There was a deck of boards or split bamboos, and you could only move about it by crawling on your hands and knees.

Unaddressed Letters |Anonymous
I have several times been roused at night by a great cockroach, three or four inches long, crawling over my lace.

A Popular Account of the Manners and Customs of India |Charles Acland
It lifted everything from the water, and splashed everything down again, all the while crawling toward its enemy.

Creatures of the Abyss |Murray Leinster

British Dictionary definitions for crawling (1 of 3)

crawling

/ (ˈkrɔːlɪŋ) /

noun

a defect in freshly applied paint or varnish characterized by bare patches and ridging

British Dictionary definitions for crawling (2 of 3)

crawl ¹

/ (krɔːl) /

verb (intr)

to move slowly, either by dragging the body along the ground or on the hands and knees

to proceed or move along very slowly or laboriously the traffic crawled along the road

to act or behave in a servile manner; fawn; cringe

to be or feel as if overrun by something unpleasant, esp crawling creatures the pile of refuse crawled with insects

(of insects, worms, snakes, etc) to move with the body close to the ground

to swim the crawl

noun

a slow creeping pace or motion

Also called: Australian crawl, front crawl swimming a stroke in which the feet are kicked like paddles while the arms reach forward and pull back through the water

Derived forms of crawl

crawlingly, adverb

Word Origin for crawl

C14: probably from Old Norse krafla to creep; compare Swedish kravla, Middle Low German krabbelen to crawl, Old Norse krabbi crab 1

British Dictionary definitions for crawling (3 of 3)

crawl ²

/ (krɔːl) /

noun

an enclosure in shallow, coastal water for fish, lobsters, etc

Word Origin for crawl

C17: from Dutch kraal kraal

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

crawl

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

noun

Origin of crawl

synonym study for crawl

OTHER WORDS FROM crawl

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH crawl

Words nearby crawl

Example sentences from the Web for crawling

British Dictionary definitions for crawling (1 of 3)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for crawling (2 of 3)

verb (intr)

noun

Derived forms of crawl

Word Origin for crawl

British Dictionary definitions for crawling (3 of 3)

noun

Word Origin for crawl

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

crawl

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

noun

Origin of crawl

synonym study for crawl

OTHER WORDS FROM crawl

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH crawl

Words nearby crawl

Words related to crawling

Example sentences from the Web for crawling

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for crawling (1 of 3)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for crawling (2 of 3)

verb (intr)

noun

Derived forms of crawl

Word Origin for crawl

British Dictionary definitions for crawling (3 of 3)

noun

Word Origin for crawl

British Dictionary definitions for crawling (1 of 3)