claw
noun
- pointed appendage
verb
- scratch with fingernails or animal claws
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /klɔ/ / /klɑ/ / /klɔː/
name
Etymology: Borrowed from Navajo Claw, variant of Clah.
- A surname from Navajo.
noun
Etymology: From Middle English clawe, from Old English clawu, from Proto-Germanic *klawō. Compare West Frisian klau, Dutch klauw, German Klaue, Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish klo.
- A curved, pointed, horny projection 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.
- A human fingernail, particularly one extending well beyond the fingertip.
- A slender appendage or process, formed like a claw, such as the base of petals of the pink.
“a narrow base, as the petals of a Rose, where the claw is very short”
- The act of catching a ball overhand.
- A tree with one internal vertex and three leaves.
verb
Etymology: From Middle English clawen, from a combination of Old English clawan/clāwan (a remodelling of *clīeġan, from Proto-West Germanic *klauwjan, from Proto-Germanic *klawjaną) and Old English clawian (from Proto-West Germanic *klawēn).
- To scratch or to tear at.
“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.
- To perform a claw catch.
- To move with one's fingertips.
“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.”
- To relieve an uneasy feeling, such as an itch, by scratching (someone or something); hence (figuratively), to flatter or humour (someone); to court, to fawn on.
“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.”
“To be ſhort, a wretched and curſed generation they be; hypocrites, pretending friendſhip, but they can not skill of plaine dealing and franke ſpeech. Rich men they claw, ſooth up and flatter: the poore they contemne and despiſe.”
- To rail at, revile, or scold (someone or something).
“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.”
- To do (something) quickly.
“Do'n't you remember, Sirrah, ſayes one, hovv vve clavv'd it avvay at ſuch a Place! Yes, ye Damn'd Rogue you, cryes t'other, vvhen you vvere ſo drunk you took your Aunt for the Bavvd.”