crawl

1 verb (I)

1 MOVE ON HANDS AND KNEES to move along on your hands and knees with your body close to the ground

(+ along/across etc): She suddenly got down and crawled along behind the wall so that Carl wouldn't see her. | Is your baby crawling yet?

2 INSECT if an insect crawls, it moves using its legs

(+ over/up etc): Watch out! There's a wasp crawling up your leg.

3 CARS ETC if a vehicle crawls, it moves forward very slowly

(+ by/along etc): The traffic was crawling by at 5 miles an hour.

4 TOO HELPFUL to be too pleasant or helpful to someone in authority, especially because you want them to help you: crawl to sb: Just look at Janice - crawling to the director of studies again!

5 be crawling with to be completely covered with insects, people etc: Eugh! This floor is crawling with ants.

6 make your skin crawl if something or someone makes your skin crawl, you think they are extremely unpleasant: The way Jonathan looks at her really makes my skin crawl.

2 noun (singular)

1 a very slow speed: The traffic had slowed down to a crawl.

2 a fast way of swimming in which you lie on your stomach and move one arm and then the other over your head