Claw (?), n. [AS. clawu, cla, cleo; akin to D. klaauw, G. Klaue, Icel. klo, SW. & Dan. klo, and perh. to E. clew.]
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 hammer, a hammer with one end of the metallic head cleft for use in extracting nails, etc. -- Claw hammer coat, a dress coat of the swallowtail pattern. [Slang] -- Claw sickness, foot rot, a disease affecting sheep.
© Webster 1913.
Claw (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Clawed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Clawing.] [AS. clawan. See Claw, n.]
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 me, claw thee, stand by me and I will stand by you; -- an old proverb.
Tyndale.
To claw away, to scold or revile. "The jade Fortune is to be clawed away for it, if you should lose it."
L'Estrange.
To claw (one) on the back, to tickle; to express approbation. (Obs.)
Chaucer.
-- To claw (one) on the gall, to find falt with; to vex. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
© Webster 1913.
Claw, v. i.
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.
To claw off Naut., to turn to windward and beat, to prevent falling on a lee shore.
© Webster 1913.