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What is the difference between claw and paw?

claw | paw |

Paw is a meronym of claw.



As nouns the difference between claw and paw

is that claw is a curved, pointed horny nail on each digit of the foot of a mammal, reptile, or bird while paw is father; pa.

As verbs the difference between claw and paw

is that claw is to scratch or to tear at while paw is to go through something (such as a garbage can) with paws.

claw

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) clawe, from (etyl) clawu, from (etyl) . Compare West Frisian klau, Dutch klauw, German Klaue, Danish klo.

Noun

(en noun)
  • A curved, pointed horny nail on each digit of the foot of a mammal, reptile, or bird.
  • A foot equipped with such.
  • The pincer (chela) of a crustacean or other arthropod.
  • A mechanical device resembling a claw, used for gripping or lifting.
  • (botany) A slender appendage or process, formed like a claw, such as the base of petals of the pink.
    • (Gray)
  • (juggling, uncountable) The act of catching a ball overhand.
    • Derived terms
    * claw hammer * get one's claws into
    External links
    * (wikipedia "claw")

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) clawian, from clawu.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To scratch or to tear at.
  • * '>citation
    • Using her hands like windshield wipers, she tried to flick snow away from her mouth. When she clawed at her chest and neck, the crumbs maddeningly slid back onto her face. She grew claustrophobic.
  • To use the claws to seize, to grip.
  • To use the claws to climb.
  • (juggling) To perform a catch.
  • To move with one's fingertips.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=October 15 , author=Phil McNulty , title=Liverpool 1 - 1 Man Utd , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=De Gea was United's hero again within seconds of Hernandez's equaliser, diving to his left to claw away Dirk Kuyt's shot as he got on the end of a superb cross from Stewart Downing.}}
  • (obsolete) To relieve uneasy feeling, such as an itch, by scratching; hence, to humor or flatter, to court someone.
  • * 1599 ,
    • I cannot hide what I am: I must be sad when I have cause, and smile at no man's jests; eat when I have stomach, and wait for no man's leisure; sleep when I am drowsy, and tend on no man's business; laugh when I am merry, and claw no man in his humour.
  • * Holland
    • Rich men they claw , soothe up, and flatter; the poor they contemn and despise.
  • (obsolete) To rail at; to scold.
  • * T. Fuller
    • In the aforesaid preamble, the king fairly claweth' the great monasteries, wherein, saith he, religion, thanks be to God, is right well kept and observed; though he ' claweth them soon after in another acceptation.

    paw

    English

    Alternative forms

    * pa

    Etymology 1

    The word probably has an origin in : see ‘pa’ .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (nonstandard, or, rural) Father; pa.
    • Synonyms
    * (father :) pawpaw, pa, papa, father, dad, daddy, pappy
    Hypernyms
    * (father :) parent
    Hyponyms
    * (father :) step-paw
    Coordinate terms
    * maw, brother, sis/sissy
    Derived terms
    * pawpaw
    Related terms
    * pa

    Etymology 2

    (etyl) pawe'', from (etyl) '' *''p?ta'' (compare Dutch ''poot'', Low German Pote, German ''Pfote''), from *''p?ton'' 'to put, stick, plant' (compare Dutch ''poten'' 'to plant'), from (etyl) 'paw'), Ancient Greek "????". More at put.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The soft foot of a mammal or other animal, generally a quadruped, that has claws or nails; comparable to a human hand or foot.
  • (humorous) A hand.
    • Get your grubby paws off my things!
    Synonyms
    * (of a mammal :) hand, foot
    Hypernyms
    * (foot of a mammal :) limb extremity
    Meronyms
    * claw, finger
    Holonyms
    * limb
    Coordinate terms
    * hoof, talon
    Derived terms
    * paw (verb ) * pawprint(s) * catpaw
    Related terms
    * possibly German Pfote * cat's paw

    Etymology 3

    From the noun paw'', meaning ''an animal's hand or foot .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (of an animal) To go through something (such as a garbage can) with paws
  • (of an animal) To gently push on something with a paw.
  • (of an animal) To draw the forefoot along the ground; to beat or scrape with the forefoot.
  • * Bible, Job xxxix. 21
    • He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men.
  • (by extension, of a human) To touch someone (with the hands) in a sexual way.
  • * August 17 1997 , Robert Spector, in misc.fitness.weights :
    • IronMan used to be good in this way, back in the '80s. They wouldn't subscribe to the old, "Let's put a male bodybuilder with silicone babes pawing him" cover that's mainstay now.
  • * October 26 1997 , Verbotene, quoted by Amy McWilliams, in rec.arts.tv.soaps.abc :
    • So, Katherine was out with Luke and they were both quite dolled up and swoon-worthy. Katherine fawned all over Luke and pawed him, but to what end? Was Stefan supposed to believe that Luke and Katherine have some sort of a thing going? What was the point of this display from Katherine's perspective?
  • * July 18 2002 , Lurker Dave, in rec.arts.comics.marvel.universe :
    • Subtlety is great, but what exactly happened with Jessica and the cop during sex that he locked her up afterwards? Also, what was the item she nicked from his shirt while she pawed him?
  • (by extension, of a human) To clumsily dig through something.
    • Hypernyms
    * (to go through something with paws) handle * (to gently push on something) touch
    See also
    * palpate * paw off

    Anagrams

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