crawl
n. countablen. a list of names or information that moves slowly across a screen. You usually see this at the bottom of a news channel or at the start of a movie.
n. a sequence of text that moves horizontally or vertically across a television or cinema screen. Often used for news tickers, stock prices, or introductory narrative summaries.
The news crawl at the bottom of the screen shows the latest scores.
During the breaking news coverage, a continuous crawl provided updates on road closures and emergency contact numbers.
The film opens with a slow vertical crawl that establishes the political landscape of the galaxy before the first scene even begins.
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.
Compare kraal.
Commonly used in the context of broadcast media and web design; often paired with 'news' or 'opening'.
- 01
crawl before one walks
To learn the basics before doing something at a more advanced level.
- 02
crawl into a hole
To hide or disappear due to feelings of extreme embarrassment, shame, or helplessness; to withdraw from reality.
- 03
crawl over each other
To compete with others eagerly or fiercely in pursuit of the same goal(s).