claw Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun sharp curved horny process on the toe of a bird or some mammals or reptiles
  2. noun a mechanical device that is curved or bent to suspend or hold or pull something
    hook.
  3. noun a grasping structure on the limb of a crustacean or other arthropods
    nipper; chela; pincer.
  4. noun a bird's foot
  5. verb move as if by clawing, seizing, or digging
    • They clawed their way to the top of the mountain
  6. verb clutch as if in panic
    • She clawed the doorknob
  7. verb scratch, scrape, pull, or dig with claws or nails
  8. verb attack as if with claws
    • The politician clawed his rival

WordNet

Claw noun
Etymology
AS. clawu, cla, cleó; akin to D. klaauw, G. Klaue, Icel. klo, SW. & Dan. klo, and perh. to E. clew.
Definitions
  1. A sharp, hooked nail, as of a beast or bird.
  2. The whole foot of an animal armed with hooked nails; the pinchers of a lobster, crab, etc.
  3. Anything resembling the claw of an animal, as the curved and forked end of a hammer for drawing nails.
  4. (Bot.) A slender appendage or process, formed like a claw, as the base of petals of the pink. Gray.
Claw transitive verb
Etymology
AS. clawan. See Claw, n.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Clawed ; present participle & verbal noun Clawing
Definitions
  1. To pull, tear, or scratch with, or as with, claws or nails.
  2. To relieve from some uneasy sensation, as by scratching; to tickle; hence, to flatter; to court. Obs.
    Rich men they claw, soothe up, and flatter; the poor they contemn and despise. Holland.
  3. To rail at; to scold. Obs.
    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. T. Fuller
Claw intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To scrape, scratch, or dig with a claw, or with the hand as a claw. "Clawing [in ash barrels] for bits of coal." W. D. Howells.

Webster 1913