paw1

[paw] /pɔ/
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)
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; Middle English pawe, variant of powe < Middle French poue (cognate with Provençal pauta) < Germanic; compare Dutch poot, German Pfote
Related forms
pawer, noun
unpawed, adjective
Can be confused
paw, poor, pore.
pause, paws, pores, pours.

paw2

[paw] /pɔ/
noun, Informal.
1.
father; pa.
Origin
1900-05, Americanism; earlier and dial. pronunciation of pa, reflecting the now lapsed constraint against a maximally open back vowel in an open stressed final syllable
Examples from the web for paw
  • The group indulges their every material desire as the undead paw at the mall entrances.
  • Each paw has five long, strong claws used for tearing, digging, and climbing.
British Dictionary definitions for paw

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
3.
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 Origin and History for paw
n.

c.1300, from Old French powe, poe "paw, fist," of uncertain origin. Evidence points to a Gallo-Romance root form *pauta which probably is related to the source of patten.

v.

"use the hands roughly," c.1600, from paw (n.). Related: Pawed; pawing. Middle English had pawen "to touch or strike with the paw" (c.1400).

Slang definitions & phrases for paw

paw

noun

A hand: You let me get my paws on the money (1605+)

verb

To touch and handle, esp in a crude sexual way (1701+)

Related Terms

northpaw, southpaw


paw in Technology

tool
Physics Analysis Workbench.