Crawled

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Crawl \Crawl\ (kr[add]l), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Crawled}
     (kr[add]ld); p. pr. & vb. n. {Crawling}.] [Dan. kravle, or
     Icel. krafla, to paw, scrabble with the hands; akin to Sw.
     kr[aum]la 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 knees; to creep.
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              A worm finds what it searches after only by feeling,
              as it crawls from one thing to another. --Grew.
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     2. Hence, to move or advance in a feeble, slow, or timorous
        manner.
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              He was hardly able to crawl about the room.
                                                    --Arbuthnot.
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              The meanest thing that crawl'd beneath my eyes.
                                                    --Byron.
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     3. To advance slowly and furtively; to insinuate one's self;
        to advance or gain influence by servile or obsequious
        conduct.
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              Secretly crawling up the battered walls. --Knolles.
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              Hath crawled into the favor of the king. --Shak.
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              Absurd opinions crawl about the world. --South.
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     4. To have a sensation as of insect creeping over the body;
        as, the flesh crawls. See {Creep}, v. i., 7.
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