Crawl (kr?l), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Crawled (kr?ld); p. pr. & vb. n. Crawling.] [Dan. kravle, or Icel. krafla, to paw, scrabble with the hands; akin to Sw. krla to crawl; cf. LG. krabbeln, D. krabbelen to scratch.]
1.
To move slowly by drawing the body along the ground, as a worm; to move slowly on hands and kness; to creep.
A worm finds what it searches after only by feeling, as it crawls from one thing to another.
Grew.
2.
Hence, to move or advance in a feeble, slow, or timorous manner.
He was hardly able to crawl about the room.
Arbuthnot.
The meanest thing that crawl'd beneath my eyes.
Byron.
3.
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.
Knolles.
Hath crawled into the favor of the king.
Shak.
Absurd opinions crawl about the world.
South.
4.
To have a sensation as of insect creeping over the body; as, the flesh crawls. See Creep, v. i. ,7.
© Webster 1913.
Crawl (kr?l), n.
The act or motion of crawling;low motion, as of a creeping animal.
© Webster 1913.
Crawl, n. [Cf. Kraal.]
A pen or inclosure of stakes and hurdles on the seacoast, for holding fish.
© Webster 1913.