Definition of 'paw'

Word Frequency

paw

(pɔː )

Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense paws , present participle pawing , past tense, past participle pawed

1. countable noun [oft with poss]

The paws of an animal such as a cat, dog, or bear are its feet, which have claws for gripping things and soft pads for walking on.

The kitten was black with white front paws and a white splotch on her chest.

He removes a thorn from a lion's paw.

2. countable noun [oft poss NOUN, adjective NOUN]

You can describe someone's hand as their paw, especially if it is very large or if they are very clumsy.

[mainly humorous, informal]

He shook Keaton's hand with his big paw.

Synonyms: hand, palm, mitt [slang] More Synonyms of paw

3. verb

If an animal paws something, it draws its foot over it or down it.

Madigan's horse pawed the ground. [VERB noun]

The dogs continued to paw and claw frantically at the chain mesh. [VERB + at]

4. verb

If one person paws another, they touch or stroke them in a way that the other person finds offensive.

[disapproval]

Stop pawing me, Giles! [VERB noun]

He pawed at my jacket with his free hand. [VERB + at]

More Synonyms of paw

paw in British English

(pɔː )

noun

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

to scrape or contaminate with the paws or feet

4. (transitive) informal

to touch or caress in a clumsy, rough, or overfamiliar manner; maul

Word origin

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

Word Frequency

paw in American English 1

(pɔ )

noun

the foot of a four-footed animal having claws

2. Informal

a hand

verb transitive, verb intransitive

to touch, dig, hit, strike out (at), etc. with the paws or feet

a horse pawing the air

to handle clumsily or roughly

she pawed angrily through the papers on her desk

to caress in too familiar a way

Derived forms

pawer (ˈpawer)

noun

Word origin

ME paue < OFr poue < Frank *pauta, a paw (< pre-Celt *pauta) > Ger pfote

Word Frequency

paw in American English 2

(pɔ )

noun

Dialectal

pa; papa; father

Word Frequency

paw in American English 1

(pɔ)

noun

the foot of an animal having claws

the foot of any animal

3. informal

the human hand, esp. one that is large, rough, or clumsy

Keep your paws off my property

transitive verb

to strike or scrape with the paws or feet

a dog pawing the door

5. informal

to handle or caress clumsily, rudely, or with unwelcome familiarity

intransitive verb

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

7. informal

to handle or caress someone or something in a clumsy or rude manner or with unwelcome familiarity

Derived forms

pawer

noun

Word origin

[1300–50; ME pawe, var. of powe ‹ MF poue (c. Pr pauta) ‹ Gmc; cf. D poot, G Pfote]

Word Frequency

paw in American English 2

(pɔ)

noun

informal

father; pa

Word origin

[1900–05, Amer.; earlier and dial. pron. of pa, reflecting the now lapsed constraint against a maximally open back vowel in an open stressed final syll.]

Examples of 'paw' in a sentence
paw

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But we former players of a certain vintage are wary about writing off anything with his big bear paw imprint upon it.Some litter brands have wood pellets that are too big for cats' sensitive paws.Why not refuse to allow the dog to set paw in your house?The patter of tiny paws is imminent.She just caught my left arm and got one good paw on my chest. Put your other hand out so it raises its other front paw.This time she was an enraged lion with bloodstained paws.The top really spins as the cat paws it.He wants all four paws on the ground.Getting on the ladder one paw at a time.