paw

¹

[paw]

noun

1. the foot of an animal having claws.

2. the foot of any animal.

3. Informal.,  the human hand, especially one that is large, rough, or clumsy.

   Keep your paws off my property.

verb (used with object)

1. to strike or scrape with the paws or feet.

   a dog pawing the door.

2. Informal.,  to handle or caress clumsily, rudely, or with unwelcome familiarity.

verb (used without object)

1. to beat or scrape the floor, ground, etc., with the paws or feet.

2. Informal.,  to handle or caress someone or something in a clumsy or rude manner or with unwelcome familiarity.

paw

²

[paw]

noun

Informal.

1. father; pa.

paw

/ pɔː /

noun

1. any of the feet of a four-legged mammal, bearing claws or nails

2. informal,  a hand, esp one that is large, clumsy, etc

verb

1. to scrape or contaminate with the paws or feet

2. informal,  (tr) to touch or caress in a clumsy, rough, or overfamiliar manner; maul

Other Word Forms

• pawer noun
• unpawed adjective

Word History and Origins

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of paw¹

C13: via Old French from Germanic; related to Middle Dutch pōte, German Pfote

Example Sentences

If your dog gets wet, make sure you dry them off with a towel as soon as you get home and check their paws for salt, grit, dirt or snow.

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The troll screams to the high heavens and paws at the wound.

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“She is a thorn in my paw, a stone in my shoe, a toothache in my tooth!”

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At Beowulf’s chirruping call, the little rodent scampered into the nursery and offered Penelope a great prize indeed: a single perfect acorn, carried with pride in those tiny, monkeylike paws.

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Now the bewildered rodent could do nothing but press his nose against the glass and knock with his tiny, monkeylike paws as his bushy tail flicked to and fro with anxiety.

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Related Words

• fondle