crawl
1to 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.
to visit or frequent a series of (similar businesses, especially bars): to crawl the neighborhood pubs.
Digital Technology. to digitally survey (websites) using a computer program, as in order to index web pages for a search engine: Search engines are constantly crawling the web.: Compare spider (def. 10).
the act of crawling; a slow, crawling motion.
the visiting of a series of similar businesses, especially bars: a beer crawl;a museum crawl.
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
1synonym study For crawl
Other words from crawl
- crawl·ing·ly, adverb
Words that may be confused with crawl
- craw, crawl
Other definitions for crawl (2 of 2)
an enclosure in shallow water on the seacoast, as for confining fish, turtles, etc.: a crab crawl.
Origin of crawl
2Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use crawl in a sentence
Couple guided Stella as she crawled and dipped her chest to pick up each magnet.
Dungeons and Genital Clamps: Inside a Legendary BDSM Chateau | Ian Frisch | December 20, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThis one woman crawled toward the body of her sister as the burial team carried out the body, carried the body bag away.
She and her husband crawled on the floor, ducking as “falling glass, chandeliers, plates, food, and drink” fell on top of them.
I Survived a Deadly Shipwreck: Costa Concordia Passengers Tell Their Stories | Barbie Latza Nadeau | May 19, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe co-pilot crawled out of the cockpit window and lowered himself to the ground on a rope and was promptly arrested.
Inside The Ethiopian Airlines Hijacking Terror | Barbie Latza Nadeau | February 18, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTGeorge Stout crawled through the wall opening and into a room even he, who had been at Siegen and Merkers, never imagined.
The Real Monuments Men: The Coronation Chamber of Hitler | Robert Edsel | February 6, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The hairy animal, with the long tail, came straight for the bush behind which Squinty was hiding, and crawled through.
Squinty the Comical Pig | Richard BarnumUnder cover of this they crawled towards a large pond on which ducks were resting but by no means asleep.
Ancestors | Gertrude AthertonThe fingers of his right hand constricted on Burkey's throat until the man's eyes crawled a little way out of their sockets.
The ridge was broken by a notch, and the road crawled through the opening and into the defile.
Motor Matt's "Century" Run | Stanley R. MatthewsCoach after coach crawled slowly and painfully up the steep hill, some coming from London, others bound thither.
The Portsmouth Road and Its Tributaries | Charles G. Harper
British Dictionary definitions for crawl (1 of 2)
/ (krɔːl) /
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
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
Origin of crawl
1Derived forms of crawl
- crawlingly, adverb
British Dictionary definitions for crawl (2 of 2)
/ (krɔːl) /
an enclosure in shallow, coastal water for fish, lobsters, etc
Origin of crawl
2Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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