paw
noun
- soft foot of a mammal
verb
- moving touch without scratching
- to handle clumsily
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /pɔː/ / /pɔ/ / /pɑ/
noun
Etymology: The word probably has an origin in baby talk. See pa.
- Alternative form of pa (“father”).
verb
Etymology: From Middle English pawe, from Old French poue, poe, from Vulgar Latin *pauta. Further origin unknown, perhaps from Frankish *pōta, from Frankish *pōtōn (“to put, stick, plant”), from Proto-Germanic *putōną, whence also Old English potian (“to push”), pȳtan (“to put out, poke out”). See more at put. Doublet of pote, put, and putt. Cognate with Dutch poot, poten (“to plant”), Low German Pote, German Pfote, Icelandic pota (“to stick”).
- Of an animal, to touch (something) with a paw.
- Of an animal, to touch (something) with a paw.
“He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men.”
- To touch (someone) in a sexual way.
“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.”
“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?”
- To clumsily dig (through something).
- To flatter.