paw

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

paw, n. [OE. pawe, poue, OF. poe: cf. patte, LG. pote, D. poot, G. pfote.].

•  The foot of a quadruped having claws, as the lion, dog, cat, etc.  [1913 Webster]
•  The hand.  Dryden.  [1913 Webster]

Paw clam (Zoöl.), the tridacna; -- so called because shaped like an animal's paw.

paw, v. i. 

 To draw the forefoot along the ground; to beat or scrape with the forefoot.  Job xxxix. 21.  [1913 Webster]

paw, v. t. 

•  To pass the paw over; to stroke or handle with the paws; hence, to handle fondly or rudely.  [1913 Webster]
•  To scrape or beat with the forefoot.  [1913 Webster]

  "His hot courser pawed the Hungarian plane."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

paw, n. & v.
--n.
1 a foot of an animal having claws or nails.
2 colloq. a person's hand.
--v.
1 tr. strike or scrape with a paw or foot.
2 intr. scrape the ground with a paw or hoof.
3 tr. colloq. fondle awkwardly or indecently.

Etymology

ME pawe, powe f. OF poue etc. ult. f. Frank.

THESAURUS

paw

arch, bad, claws, clubfoot, clutches, coarse, come in contact, digit, digits, dirty, dog, extremity, fangs, feel, feel of, fetlock, filthy, finger, fingernails, fingers, flick, foot, forefoot, forepaw, foul, handle, hands, harefoot, heel, hoof, hooks, ill-behaved, indecent, instep, jaws, mandibles, manipulate, maxillae, meathooks, misbehaving, mischievous, mitts, nails, nasty, nippers, pad, palm, palpate, pastern, patte, pedal extremity, pedes, pes, pied, pincers, ply, poke at, pounces, prod, pug, raunchy, smutty, sole, splayfoot, talons, tap, teeth, thumb, toe, tootsy, touch, trotter, twiddle, unguals, ungula, ungulae, vulgar, wield

ROGET THESAURUS

paw

Retention

N retention, retaining, keep, detention, custody, tenacity, firm hold, grasp, gripe, grip, iron grip, fangs, teeth, claws, talons, nail, unguis, hook, tentacle, tenaculum, bond, clutches, tongs, forceps, pincers, nippers, pliers, vice, paw, hand, finger, wrist, fist, neaf, neif, bird in hand, captive, retaining, retentive, tenacious, unforfeited, undeprived, undisposed, uncommunicated, incommunicable, inalienable, in mortmain, in strict settlement, uti possidetis.

Touch

N touch, tact, taction, tactility, feeling, palpation, palpability, contrectation, manipulation, massage, hand, finger, forefinger, thumb, paw, feeler, antenna, palpus, tactual, tactile, tangible, palpable, lambent.

VB touch, feel, handle, finger, thumb, paw, fumble, grope, grabble, twiddle, tweedle, pass the fingers over, run the fingers over, manipulate, wield, throw out a feeler.