▪ I. crawling, vbl. n.
(ˈkrɔːlɪŋ)
[f. as prec. + -ing1.]
a. The action of the verb crawl.
| 1768–74 Tucker Lt. Nat. (1852) I. 522 Attentive to the crawlings of an emmet. 1855 Kingsley Glaucus (1878) 16 The crawling of a glacier. 1879 Carpenter Ment. Phys. i. ii. §53 The crawling of the Maggot or Caterpillar. |
| attrib. 1794 Phil. Trans. LXXXIV. 406 It can be entered only in a crawling posture. |
b. crawling-board (see quots.).
| 1901 Daily Chron. 25 Nov. 7/3 A crawling-board used on a roof in connection with a ladder. 1902 Law Rep. [1902] I.K.B. 494 A crawling board, which was a contrivance ordinarily used in the repair of roofs, and consisted of a wooden plank about 18 to 20 feet long and 10 inches wide, across which were nailed transverse pieces of wood. |
▪ II. ˈcrawling, ppl. a.
[f. crawl v.1 + -ing2.]
a. That crawls (lit. and fig.); see the verb.
| c 1340 Cursor M. 6612 (Fairf.) Þai fande bot crawlande [Cott. creuland, Gött. crouland] wormis. 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. ii. ii. 146 To plucke this crawling serpent from my brest. 1642 Rogers Naaman 5 To raise up a base and crawling spirit to heaven. 1821 Shelley Prom. Unb. i. i. The crawling glaciers. Ibid., The wingless crawling hours. 1941 Coast to Coast 1941 127 His glance was venomous as he added: ‘You crawling bastard, you!’ |
b. crawling peg Econ., a system whereby the exchange rate can be frequently and marginally adjusted.
| 1966 J. H. Williamson Crawling Peg 2 The ‘crawling peg’ will be used to mean a system under which such par changes as occur are implemented slowly, in such a large number of small steps as to make the process of exchange-rate adjustment continuous for all practical purposes. 1970 Times 9 Feb. 20/2 Washington, therefore, can see distinct advantages in a one-way upward crawling peg. |
Hence ˈcrawlingly adv.
| 1672 Eachard Hobb's State Nat. 62 With which your Book of Politicks is so crawlingly full. 1865 Dickens Mut. Fr. ii. xii, Then propitiatingly and crawlingly Mr. Riderhood cried. |
▪ III. crawling
var. of crowling vbl. n.