What does "paw" mean?
The soft foot of a mammal or other animal, generally a quadruped, that has claws or nails; comparable to a human hand or foot.
Paw
/pɔː/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The soft foot of a mammal or other animal, generally a quadruped, that has claws or nails; comparable to a human hand or foot.
- Grammar: paw is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: animal foot, arch, bad, claws.
- Useful contrasts: avoid, hand, hooves.
- Usage evidence: I don't want to be made a cat's paw.
How to use "paw"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "paw" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "paw" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "paw" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "paw" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "paw" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "animal foot" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "paw", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The soft foot of a mammal or other animal, generally a quadruped, that has claws or nails; comparable to a human hand or foot.
- 2 Father; pa.
- 3 Abbreviation of plasma arc welding (an arc welding technology). abbreviation, alt-of, uncountable
- 4 a clawed foot of an animal especially a quadruped wordnet
- 5 A hand. humorous
"Get your grubby paws off my things!"
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 Abbreviation of plasma arc weld (a weld created with the PAW process). abbreviation, alt-of, countable
- 7 the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb wordnet
Verb
- 1 Of an animal, to touch (something) with a paw. transitive
- 2 touch clumsily wordnet
- 3 Of an animal, to dig through (something, such as a garbage can) with paws. transitive
- 4 scrape with the paws wordnet
- 5 Of an animal, to draw the forefoot along the ground; to beat or scrape with the forefoot. transitive
"He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men."
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 To touch (someone) in a sexual way. broadly, transitive
"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."
- 7 To clumsily dig (through something). broadly, transitive
- 8 To flatter. dated, transitive
Example
"I don't want to be made a cat's paw."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "paw"?
Common synonyms include: animal foot, arch, bad, claws, clubfoot, clutches.
How do you use "paw" in a sentence?
I don't want to be made a cat's paw.
How do you pronounce "paw"?
Pronounced /pɔː/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English pawe, from Old French poue, poe, from Frankish *pōta (compare Dutch poot, Low German Pote, German Pfote), from Frankish *pōtōn (“to put, stick, plant”) (compare Dutch poten (“to plant”)), from Proto-Germanic *putōną (compare Old English potian (“to push”), pȳtan (“to put out, poke out”), Icelandic pota (“to stick”)). See more at put.
Etymology 2
The word probably has an origin in baby talk. See pa.