# crawl

/ˈkɹɔɫ/ (US) · /kɹˈɔːl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/crawl
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to move on hands and knees

verb · CEFR B1

to move along the ground on your hands and knees.

For teachers: to move the body close to the ground using the hands and knees for traction.

- The baby started to crawl across the living room toward her favorite toy.
- The soldiers were forced to crawl through the dense undergrowth to avoid detection by the enemy scouts stationed on the ridge.

### 2. to move very slowly

verb · CEFR B2

to move forward at a very slow speed, like cars in heavy traffic.

For teachers: to progress at an exceptionally slow pace, often due to congestion or physical obstacles.

- Traffic was so bad that we had to crawl along the highway for three hours.
- The project began to crawl as bureaucratic hurdles and funding delays sapped the team's initial momentum.

### 3. to index websites

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to visit websites automatically to collect information for a search engine.

For teachers: to systematically browse the World Wide Web using an automated program to index content for search engines.

- Search engines crawl millions of pages every day to keep their results updated.
- The new algorithm changed how the bot would crawl dynamic pages, ensuring that frequently updated content was indexed more efficiently.

### 4. swimming stroke

noun · CEFR B2

a fast way of swimming where you move your arms over your head one after the other.

For teachers: a swimming stroke performed in a prone position, characterized by alternate overarm movements and a flutter kick.

- She practiced her crawl for an hour to prepare for the swim meet.
- The athlete's crawl was remarkably efficient, allowing him to maintain a steady lead throughout the final lap of the race.

### 5. scrolling text

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

text that moves across the bottom of a TV screen, usually for news or weather.

For teachers: a horizontal or vertical scrolling display of text overlaid on a television or film image.

- The news crawl at the bottom of the screen announced the election results.
- During the emergency broadcast, the crawl provided constant updates on the storm's trajectory while the main anchor interviewed local officials.

### 6. visiting several places

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a social activity where you visit several bars or shops in one night.

For teachers: an organized social activity involving a sequential visit to multiple establishments, typically bars.

- The students went on a pub crawl to celebrate the end of their exams.
- The city's annual charity bar crawl attracted hundreds of participants, all dressed in matching festive costumes.

## Examples

- 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 EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.