From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcrawlcrawl1 /krɔːl $ krɒːl/ ●●○ verb [intransitive] 1 
MOVE ON HANDS AND KNEESHBHto move along on your hands and knees with your body close to the groundcrawl along/across etc The baby crawled across the floor.2 INSECTHBIif an insect crawls, it moves using its legscrawl over/up etc There’s a bug crawling up your leg.3 → crawl into/out of bed4 CARS ETCTTif a vehicle crawls, it moves forward very slowlycrawl by/along etc The traffic was crawling along.5 TOO HELPFULFRIENDLY British English informal to be too pleasant or helpful to someone in authority, especially because you want them to help you – used to show disapprovalcrawl to She’s always crawling to the boss.6 → be crawling with something7 → crawl the Net/web→ See Verb table
MOVE ON HANDS AND KNEESHBHto move along on your hands and knees with your body close to the groundcrawl along/across etc The baby crawled across the floor.2 INSECTHBIif an insect crawls, it moves using its legscrawl over/up etc There’s a bug crawling up your leg.3 → crawl into/out of bed4 CARS ETCTTif a vehicle crawls, it moves forward very slowlycrawl by/along etc The traffic was crawling along.5 TOO HELPFULFRIENDLY British English informal to be too pleasant or helpful to someone in authority, especially because you want them to help you – used to show disapprovalcrawl to She’s always crawling to the boss.6 → be crawling with something7 → crawl the Net/web→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
crawl• When did Sam start crawling?• We sat in the car with the radio on, crawling along behind a long line of other cars.• You either hear this truth or you crawl along the ground looking for worms.• It took several hours to drive the 50 miles, crawling along through the snow.• They seemed to be crawling in the tunnel for a lifetime before they found another grille.• Glover would crawl out after him on the roof at the top of the house and look down on the lake.• She crawled out of bed, peered into the mirror, and gave a small groan.• Fearful, yet inquisitive, Moon-Watcher crawled out on to the edge of the cave and peered down the face of the cliff.• The old Buick barely managed to crawl up the hill.• Miguel crawled up the street slowly, slipping into a parking spot a block down from the fire.• They also stop insects crawling up the waste pipes.• It terrified her to think that the whole riddled mountain crawled with men like that one.crawl along/across etc• A fly landed on the empty, staring vizor, and crawled across it.• He crawled along the branch until he reached the nearest flower.• You don't have to look far to see these dumb creatures crawling across the branches of many organizations today.• Sobbing, gasping for breath, she began to crawl across the floor.• Stanley Spencer said that when you paint a face, it's like crawling across the landscape of that face.• They crawled across their chosen ground like detectives armed with magnifying glasses.• Gingerly, she crawls across this pilot line, trailing behind her a thicker, stronger thread.crawl over/up etc• He tried to crawl up her and she screamed and fell over.• He left the place quickly, embarrassment crawling up his neck as he found his way to the door.• He covered himself with a blanket that suddenly seemed to move on its own-an army of insects began crawling over his skin.• Then one morning I wake to feel one crawling up my arm.• For two years she heard nothing at all and then she heard close thunder crawling up the stairs.• I am a fly on the face of the Almighty, crawling over the surface to see what's what.• Directly below her were some tiny creatures crawling over the surface.• They also stop insects crawling up the waste pipes.crawl by/along etc• An antique Oldsmobile crawled by, its tires crackling on the sand-covered, tightly packed ground of the flat.• I crawled by my buddy and watched him draw his last breath.• Paranoia crawls along on its belly in this forest.• Below, cars crawl along on mats of shadow; further off are two long ranks of primrose-yellow taxis.• He crawled along the branch until he reached the nearest flower.• You either hear this truth or you crawl along the ground looking for worms.• He crawled along the shelf, peering, feeling with his hands.crawlcrawl2 noun [singular] 1 TTa very slow speed The traffic had slowed to a crawl.2 → the crawlExamples from the Corpus
crawl• The entrance is dry but soon becomes low, developing into a crawl where the stream from Lower Long Churn is admitted.• Traffic has slowed to a crawl.• We go back in a creepy crawl up the trail, same scenario.• Her scissors move through the material like a swimmer doing crawl, among the archipelago of tissue paper.Origin crawl1 (1300-1400) Old Norse krafla 