1 to move slowly with your body on or close to the ground, or on your hands and knees 爬;爬行;匍匐前进:
Their baby has just started to crawl.他们的婴孩刚开始会爬。An insect crawled across the floor.一只昆虫在地板上爬过。
2 (used about vehicles) to move very slowly (指车辆)缓慢移动:
The traffic crawls through the centre of town in the rush-hour.高峰时刻车辆缓慢地穿过市中心。
3 (informal 非正式)crawl (to sb) to be very polite or pleasant to sb in order to be liked or to gain sth 奉承;谄媚;巴结:
He only got promoted because he crawled to the manager.他获得擢升只因为他对经理阿谀奉承。
be crawling with sth to be completely full of or covered with unpleasant animals 充满或满布讨厌的动物:
The kitchen was crawling with insects.厨房里满是爬来爬去的虫子。 (figurative 比喻)The village is always crawling with tourists at this time of year.每年这个时候村里总是挤满游客。
crawl²
/krɔ:l ||; krɔl/noun
1 [sing] a very slow speed 十分缓慢的速度:
The traffic slowed to a crawl.车辆减速,徐缓行进。
2oftenthe crawl [sing] [U] a style of swimming which you do on your front. When you do the crawl, you move first one arm and then the other over your head, turn your face to one side so that you can breathe and kick up and down with your legs. 爬泳;自由泳;自由式
☞picture at sport 见sport插图