crawl

== English == === Pronunciation === (UK) (Received Pronunciation) enPR: krôl, IPA(key): /kɹɔːl/ (Standard Southern British) IPA(key): /kɹoːl/ (Northumbria) IPA(key): /kɹaːl/ (Scotland) IPA(key): /kɾɔl/ (Wales) IPA(key): /kɾɔːl/ (US) (without the cot–caught merger) enPR: krôl, IPA(key): /kɹɔl/ (cot–caught merger) enPR: kräl, IPA(key): /kɹɑl/ (Australian, New Zealand) enPR: krôl, IPA(key): /kɹoːl/ Rhymes: -ɔːl Homophone: kraal === Etymology 1 === From Middle English crawlen, crewlen, creulen, crallen, *cravelen, from Old Norse krafla (compare Danish kravle (“to crawl, creep”), Swedish kravla, kräla (“to creep, crawl”)), from Proto-Germanic *krablōną (compare Saterland Frisian krabbelje, Dutch krabbelen, German Low German krabbeln, German krabbeln), frequentative of *krabbōną (“to scratch, scrape”). Compare also Saterland Frisian krauelje (“to crawl, scuttle”), West Frisian kreauwelje (“to crawl”), Dutch krevelen, krieuwelen (“to crawl”), German Low German kribbeln, German kribbeln (“to creep, crawl, tingle”). See also crab, crabble. ==== Verb ==== crawl (third-person singular simple present crawls, present participle crawling, simple past and past participle crawled) (intransitive) To move by dragging one's body along or close to a surface, like a worm or insect, or on one's hands and knees, like a human baby. 1915, Vasculum (Substitute), volumes 1-5, page 84: The other species was a scale worm, Lepidonotus cirratus, which, when undisturbed, crawled rapidly about, reminding one of a centipede, but with the addition of numbers of hairy spines at each side and over-lapping scales. 2021, Maximilian Hawker, Rory Hobble and the Voyage to Haligogen (page 250?): […] a large group of tornits approached, crawling over floor, wall and ceiling alike, their golden animal eyes glinting against the light of the occasional mushroom. (intransitive) To move or progress slowly or laboriously, or with great difficulty (for example due to feebleness) or frequent stops. 1605, Shakespeare, Lear, I, i, 42: While we Vnburthen'd crawle toward death. 1654, R. Whitlock, Zootomia, 124: Sickneese posteth to us, but crawleth from us. 1850, Kingsley, Alt. Locke, xxx: Months and seasons crawled along, (intransitive) To advance by guile and servility; to act in a servile manner, trying to please someone in order to gain favor. Synonyms: kowtow, grovel To spread by extending tendrils, stems, or branches; to creep or trail (as a vine). 1668, Culpepper and Cole, Barthol. Anat., I. xv. 38: A little […] Nerve […] which crawls up and down the Coat of the Liver. (intransitive, transitive) To swim using the crawl stroke. (intransitive) Followed by with: see crawl with. (intransitive) To feel a swarming sensation; to have a sensation like that produced by insects crawling over one's body. (intransitive, of paint or varnish, ceramic glaze, etc) To spread unevenly; to fail to be or remain evenly spread. (transitive) To move over (an area) on hands and knees, or by dragging the body along. (transitive) To move over (an area) slowly, with frequent stops. (transitive, Internet) To visit (files or web sites) in order to index them for searching. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Descendants ===== → German: kraulen ===== Translations ===== ==== Noun ==== crawl (plural crawls) The act of moving slowly on hands and knees, etc. The act of sequentially visiting a series of similar establishments (i.e., a bar crawl). A rapid swimming stroke with alternate overarm strokes and a fluttering kick. (figurative) A very slow pace. (television, film) A piece of horizontally or vertically scrolling text overlaid on the main image. 22 March 2012, Scott Tobias, AV Club The Hunger Games[4] The opening crawl (and a stirring propaganda movie) informs us that “The Hunger Games” are an annual event in Panem, a North American nation divided into 12 different districts, each in service to the Capitol, a wealthy metropolis that owes its creature comforts to an oppressive dictatorship. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Descendants ===== → Portuguese: crol, crawl ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 2 === Compare kraal. ==== Noun ==== crawl (plural crawls) A pen or enclosure of stakes and hurdles for holding fish. ===== Derived terms ===== == French == === Etymology === Borrowed from English crawl. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /kʁol/ === Noun === crawl m (plural crawls) crawl (swimming stroke) === Further reading === “crawl”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 == Italian == === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from English crawl. === Noun === crawl m crawl (swimming stroke) == Portuguese == === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from English crawl. === Pronunciation === Hyphenation: crawl === Noun === crawl m (uncountable) alternative spelling of crol ==== Derived terms ==== crawlista === Further reading === “crawl”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026 “crawl”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026 == Swedish == === Etymology === Borrowed from English crawl. === Noun === crawl c (uncountable) (swimming) crawl ==== Declension ==== ==== Related terms ==== crawla crawlare ==== See also ==== bröstsim fjärilsim frisim hundsim ryggsim simsätt === References === “crawl”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish) “crawl”, in Svenska Akademiens ordlista [Wordlist of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)