CRAWL • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Crawl

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/krɔl/ Listen

verb

Crawl v. i. (past & past part. crawled; pres. part. crawling)

To move slowly by drawing the body along the ground, as a worm; to move slowly on hands and knees; to creep. "A worm finds what it searches after only by feeling, as it crawls from one thing to another."

Hence, To move or advance in a feeble, slow, or timorous manner. "He was hardly able to crawl about the room." "The meanest thing that crawl'd beneath my eyes."

To advance slowly and furtively; to insinuate one's self; to advance or gain influence by servile or obsequious conduct. "Secretly crawling up the battered walls." "Hath crawled into the favor of the king." "Absurd opinions crawl about the world."

To have a sensation as of insect creeping over the body; as, the flesh crawls. See Creep, v. i., 7.

noun

Crawl n. The act or motion of crawling; slow motion, as of a creeping animal.

Crawl n. A pen or inclosure of stakes and hurdles on the seacoast, for holding fish.

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Etymology of 'Crawl'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Crawl" Quotes from Famous Books

... squeaking of blocks and the rattle and scrape of rings as foresails were rushed up at peak and throat. Headsails raced into position, and, with the anchors cat-headed; the vessels, with their captains at the wheels or tillers, swung into the wind and began to crawl ahead. ...

— The Harbor of Doubt • Frank Williams

... missy 'bout the fambly confab? 'Cause you done hearn Marse Big Josh 'sputin' with Marse Bob Bucknor at the ball consarnin' the Bucks an' Bucknors ain't no reason whe'fo' you gotta be so bigity. Ain't yo' mammy done tell you, time an' agin, that ain't no flies gonter crawl in a shet mouf? All you had ter do wa' ter go an' give Miss Judy Buck the trinket an' kinder git mo' 'quainted an', little by little, git her ter look at things yo' way. You could er let drop kinder accidental like that she wa' kinfolks 'thout bein' so 'splicit. She done got ...

— The Comings of Cousin Ann • Emma Speed Sampson

... be soon appreciated would be that of giving milk to children. It is marvellous how soon goats find out children and tempt them to suckle. I have had the milk of my goats, when encamping for the night in African travels, drained dry by small black children, who had not the strength to do more than crawl about, but nevertheless came to some secret understanding with the goats and fed themselves. The records of many nations have legends like that of Romulus and Remus, who are stated to have been suckled by wild beasts. These are surprisingly ...

— Inquiries into Human Faculty and Its Development • Francis Galton

... I ever did with a bear was one night over in Devil's Gulch. A big storm come up just about dark an' I found a sort o' cave to crawl into. A big tree, a Pinus Lamberteeny" (another sly glance at the professor), "had fell alongside o' some rocks an' made a fine dry den. A lot of dry leaves was made into a bed, an' I says to Sunday: 'Reckon we 'll have company before long. Wonder ...

— Emerson's Wife and Other Western Stories • Florence Finch Kelly

... road, and just as they were rounding a turn in the winding valley a heavy sleigh, with a load of wood, came out of the forest and moved slowly along in the track ahead. Gilbert uttered an exclamation of impatience. "Now we shall have to crawl," he said. "Sandy ...

— Treasure Valley • Marian Keith

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