Crepynge

Part of speech: verb, adjective

Definitions

1. Moving slowly on hands and knees or with the body close to the ground ; gradually spreading or advancing in a way that goes largely unnoticed
2. Crawling along low and slow, body near the earth ; expanding or taking hold little by little so that it is hardly seen
3. Going forward with a low, slow motion close to the surface ; developing or extending by slow, almost imperceptible degrees

Etymology: "Crepynge" is a Middle English spelling of the present participle of "creep," used as both a verb form and an adjective. It descends from Old English "crēopan," meaning to crawl or move on hands and knees, a word with Germanic roots shared with Dutch "kruipen" and German "kriechen." The Old English verb had a strong past tense, "crēap," which is why modern English still has "crept" alongside the regular-looking forms. The "-ynge" ending is the Middle English present participle suffix, a descendant of the Old English "-ende" and "-ung" endings, which is why the spelling carries that extra y and ng. In Middle English the form could function as a verbal noun or as an adjective describing something that moves stealthily or slowly, the sense that still underlies "creeping" in modern use.

Synonyms: creeping, crawling