paw
1 Americannoun
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the foot of an animal having claws.
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the foot of any animal.
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Informal. the human hand, especially one that is large, rough, or clumsy.
Keep your paws off my property.
verb (used with object)
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to strike or scrape with the paws or feet.
a dog pawing the door.
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Informal. to handle or caress clumsily, rudely, or with unwelcome familiarity.
verb (used without object)
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to beat or scrape the floor, ground, etc., with the paws or feet.
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Informal. to handle or caress someone or something in a clumsy or rude manner or with unwelcome familiarity.
noun
noun
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any of the feet of a four-legged mammal, bearing claws or nails
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informal a hand, esp one that is large, clumsy, etc
verb
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to scrape or contaminate with the paws or feet
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informal (tr) to touch or caress in a clumsy, rough, or overfamiliar manner; maul
Other Word Forms
- pawer noun
- unpawed adjective
Etymology
Origin of paw1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English pau(w)e, poue, from Middle French po(u)e (cognate with Provençal pauta ), from Germanic; compare Dutch poot, German Pfote
Origin of paw2
First recorded in 1820–30; earlier and dialect pronunciation of pa
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Despite suffering from "numerous" bald patches, a torn muzzle, and repairs to both pads on his paws and feet, the Edwardian bear attracted a lot of interest ahead of the sale.
From BBC
He could feel his front paws weakening with the effort of holding the table while he climbed.
From Literature
With all that soft padding on the jaws of the trap, it probably wouldn’t hurt a monkey’s paw at all.
From Literature
Last to take shape were four small paws and two beady black eyes.
From Literature
In the case of Canelo, Good Samaritans found him and brought him to the Pasadena Humane Society, where veterinary staff tended to his badly burned paws and smoke-irritated eyes.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
