paw

Everyday

1. A paw is the foot of an animal like a cat, dog, bear or rabbit, usually with claws and soft pads. tree →
2. To paw something means to touch or scratch it with a paw, like a dog pawing at the door. tree →
3. To paw at something can mean a person touches it roughly or too much; «paws» is also a jokey word for hands. tree →
4. Paw can also mean the hoof of a horse, which a horse scrapes at the ground with, often when it is impatient. tree →

In the lessons

In science, paws help animals walk, run, dig, climb and hold food; pads cushion steps and claws grip. In everyday life with pets: a dog pawing at the door wants to go out; check a pet's paws for thorns, hot pavements or ice. In stories animals «raise a paw». Phrases: «paw prints», «a paw at the door», «get your paws off».

Examples

• The cat licked its paw. tree →
• The dog pawed at the door to go out. tree →
• We saw bear paw prints in the snow. tree →
• My puppy gave me his paw. tree →
• Hot pavements in summer can burn a dog's paws. tree →
• The kitten batted the ball with its paw. tree →
• Get your paws off my cake! tree →
• The lion rested its head on its huge paws. tree →
• Outside stood his faithful charger, pawing the ground. tree →

Note

Countable: «a paw, paws». Homophones: «pour», «pore» and «poor» sound the same as «paw» for many speakers in the UK, Australia and New Zealand; in the US they usually sound different. Horses and cows have hooves, not paws; birds have feet or claws.

In Jewish tradition

In the Torah the animals that walk on paws are unclean, so they may not be eaten.

Interpretation. The rabbis read this as a sign of a predator, since only animals with split hooves that chew the cud are clean. Touching their carcass makes a person unclean until evening.

Examples

• And whatsoever goeth upon its paws, among all beasts that go on all fours, they are unclean unto you; whoso toucheth their carcass shall be unclean until the even. (Torah LEV.11.27, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Countable: «a paw, paws». Homophones: «pour», «pore» and «poor» sound the same as «paw» for many speakers in the UK, Australia and New Zealand; in the US they usually sound different. Horses and cows have hooves, not paws; birds have feet or claws.