vi (1)爬(行)，匍匐(move slowly，quietly on hands and knees or with the body close to the ground)[I，I+prep，I+adv]：(baby)～on the bed/along(婴儿)在床上/向前爬;(snake/dog/tortoise)～along the wall/under the hedge(蛇/狗/乌龟)沿着墙/在树篱下爬;〖同〗crawl;

(2)悄悄(蹑手蹑足)地慢走(move slowly cautiously and stealthily)[I，I+prep，I+adv]：(soldier)～up on the guard(战士)悄悄地接近哨兵;(cat)～towards a bird/through the bushes(猫)悄悄地接近一只鸟/穿过灌木丛;(thief)～in(小偷)悄悄地遛进屋;

(3)慢慢地行进(蔓延)(advance or spread slowly)[I，I+prep，I+adv]：(traffic)～along very slowly(车辆)非常缓慢地向前爬行;(sea)～up the shore noiselessly(海水)悄无声息地漫上了海滩;A reddish glow crept into her cheeks.她的双颊慢慢地泛起了红晕。A mood of sadness crept into the book here and there.(fig)忧郁的情绪在书中时有显露。A feeling of drowsiness crept over him.(fig)睡意渐渐袭来。Old age/senility is～ing up on her unawares.(fig)老年/衰老不知不觉地逼近了她。〖同〗sneak，steal;

(4)沿着……生长，攀爬((of plants)grow along the ground or a surface，up walls)[I，I+prep，I+adv]：(ivy/rambler roses)～up walls/along fences(常青藤/攀缘蔷薇)攀墙/缘篱笆生长;a～ing plant/vine攀缘植物/藤蔓;

(5)起鸡皮疙瘩，毛骨悚然(have an unpleasant sensation as if covered with crawling things)[I]：His flesh crept in horror.他吓得浑身毛骨悚然。

make one's/sb's flesh creep/crawl 使人起鸡皮疙瘩(毛骨悚然)：The howling of the wolves/sight of the snake/terrible story made my flesh～(crawl).狼嗥声/蛇的样子/恐怖的故事使我毛骨悚然。

n 马屁精(highly unpleasant person who tries to win the favour of a person of higher rank by praising insincerely and doing things for him)[C](infml)(derog)：That fellow is a real～.那家伙是个十足的马屁精。She's a cunning little～.她是个狡诈的小马屁精。

give sb the creeps 1)令人起鸡皮疙瘩(毛骨悚然)：The place/thought/old castle gives me the～s.这地方/想法/古老的城堡使我毛骨悚然。2)令人讨厌(厌恶)：The man/slugs/spiders gives me the～s.那人/鼻涕虫/蜘蛛令我讨厌。

→′creeper n 攀缘植物;′creepy adj 令人毛骨悚然(起鸡皮疙瘩)的;′creepily adv 令人毛骨悚然(起鸡皮疙瘩)地;′creeping adj 逐渐的;͵creepy-′crawly n 令人讨厌(害怕)的爬行类昆虫;

【辨异】creep与crawl的区别见CRAWL。