paw
1the foot of an animal having claws.
the foot of any animal.
Informal. the human hand, especially one that is large, rough, or clumsy: Keep your paws off my property.
to strike or scrape with the paws or feet: a dog pawing the door.
Informal. to handle or caress clumsily, rudely, or with unwelcome familiarity.
to beat or scrape the floor, ground, etc., with the paws or feet.
Informal. to handle or caress someone or something in a clumsy or rude manner or with unwelcome familiarity.
Origin of paw
1Other words from paw
- paw·er, noun
- un·pawed, adjective
Words that may be confused with paw
Words Nearby paw
Other definitions for paw (2 of 2)
father; pa.
Origin of paw
2Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use paw in a sentence
For instance, in one of several sensory tests, mice from microbe-deficient mothers took longer to notice a small piece of tape stuck to one of their paws.
A mother mouse’s gut microbes help wire her pup’s brain | Carolyn Wilke | September 23, 2020 | Science NewsTry your hand at it by selecting dead, dry softwoods like cedar, paw paw, or willow for your drill and board.
This essential survival tool can save your life 10 different ways | By Tim MacWelch/Outdoor Life | September 15, 2020 | Popular-ScienceThe team put the mice into boxes and gave their paws a slight electrical shock.
Towards ‘Eternal Sunshine’? New Links Found Between Memory and Emotion | Shelly Fan | July 28, 2020 | Singularity HubA dog’s height, coat and paws are important things to consider when choosing a dog for a project, DeMatteo says.
Conservation is going to the dogs | Alison Pearce Stevens | April 2, 2020 | Science News For StudentsThis extra contact helps the bear hold on as it releases and raises a true paw.
Pandas use their heads as a kind of extra limb for climbing | Susan Milius | March 13, 2020 | Science News For Students
Jimbo sat behind me, and patted me on the back with his heavy tomahawk of a paw.
He then adds a drawing of an animal paw—something officials say his family pointed to as a sign the letter was genuine.
Exclusive: Bergdahl Explains in Prison Letters Why He Vanished | Kimberly Dozier | June 12, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTBut there are some compelling reasons to view the advantages that ruling gave the GOP in 2010 as something of a monkey's paw.
Innocuous, soporific white guys like Rob Portman and T-paw became the horses to bet on.
Romney Risks a Worse VP Pick Than Palin by Going With Boring Choice | Michelle Cottle | August 7, 2012 | THE DAILY BEASTThey decide to adopt a stray cat, paw paw, in the hopes that it will fill the void in their relationship.
The left heel followed like lightning, and the right paw also slipped, letting the bear again fall heavily on the ice below.
The Giant of the North | R.M. BallantyneThe bear watched him narrowly with its wicked little eyes, though it did not see fit to cease its paw-licking.
The Giant of the North | R.M. BallantyneThe fresh imprint of a tiger's paw upon the pathway gives the same sort of feel to the Indian herdsman.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I | Ian HamiltonBruno was then introduced to each of the scouts, and they seemed to pass muster, for to each one he offered his paw.
The Courier of the Ozarks | Byron A. DunnBut this dog's tail was wagging, certainly, so Jess bent over without fear to look at the paw.
The Box-Car Children | Gertrude Chandler Warner
British Dictionary definitions for paw
/ (pɔː) /
any of the feet of a four-legged mammal, bearing claws or nails
informal a hand, esp one that is large, clumsy, etc
to scrape or contaminate with the paws or feet
(tr) informal to touch or caress in a clumsy, rough, or overfamiliar manner; maul
Origin of paw
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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