v.
- move forward on the hands and knees or by dragging the body close to the ground.
▸(of an insect or small animal) move slowly along a surface.
▸move at an unusually slow pace.
- informal behave obsequiously or ingratiatingly.
-
(be crawling with)
be unpleasantly covered or crowded with:
the place was crawling with soldiers.
n.
- an act of crawling.
▸a slow rate of movement.
- a swimming stroke involving alternate overarm movements and rapid kicks of the legs.
Phrase
- make one's skin crawl
cause one to feel an unpleasant sensation resembling something moving over the skin.
Derivative
- crawling adj.
- crawlingly adv.
- crawly adj.
Etymology
ME: possibly rel. to Swed. kravla and Dan. kravle.