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Definition of paw - 4 dictionary results

paw

1  [paw]
Use paw in a Sentence
–noun
1. the foot of an animal having claws.
2. the foot of any animal.
3. Informal. the human hand, esp. one that is large, rough, or clumsy: Keep your paws off my property.
–verb (used with object)
4. 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.
–verb (used without object)
6. 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.
Origin:
1300–50; ME pawe, var. of powe < MF poue (c. Pr pauta) < Gmc; cf. D poot, G Pfote

Related forms:
pawer, noun

paw

2  [paw]
–noun Informal.
father; pa.
Origin:
1900–05, Americanism; earlier and dial. pron. of pa, reflecting the now lapsed constraint against a maximally open back vowel in an open stressed final syll.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To paw
paw   (pô)   
n.  

  1. The foot of an animal, especially a quadruped, that has claws or nails.

  2. Informal A human hand, especially a large clumsy one: "Lennie dabbled his big paw in the water" (John Steinbeck).

v.   pawed, paw·ing, paws

v.   tr.

  1. To strike with the paw or paws.

  2. To strike or scrape with a beating motion: The bull pawed the ground before charging.

  3. To handle clumsily, rudely, or with too much familiarity. See Synonyms at touch.

v.   intr.

  1. To scrape the ground with the forefeet: The horse pawed restlessly.

  2. To handle someone or something clumsily, rudely, or with too much familiarity: Don't paw at everything you see.


[Middle English pawe, from Old French powe.]
paw'er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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