4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Claw  \Claw\,  n.  [AS.  clawu,  cl[=a],  cle['o];  akin  to  D.  klaauw 
  G.  Klaue  Icel.  kl[=o],  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. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Claw  \Claw\  (kl[add]),  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Clawed}  (kl[add]d); 
  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  fault  with  to  vex. 
  [Obs.]  --Chaucer. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Claw  \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. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  claw 
  n  1:  sharp  curved  horny  process  on  the  toe  of  a  bird  or  some 
  mammals  or  reptiles  [syn:  {unguis}] 
  2:  a  device  that  is  curved  or  bent  to  suspend  or  hold  or  pull 
  something  [syn:  {hook}] 
  3:  a  structure  like  a  pincer  on  the  limb  of  a  crustacean  or 
  other  arthropods  [syn:  {chela},  {nipper},  {pincer}] 
  4:  a  bird's  foot  that  has  claws 
  v  1:  move  as  if  by  clawing,  seizing,  or  digging;  "They  clawed 
  their  way  to  the  top  of  the  mountain" 
  2:  clutch  as  if  in  panic:  "She  clawed  the  doorknob" 
  3:  scratch,  scrape,  pull  or  dig  with  claws  or  nails 
  4:  attack  as  if  with  claws;  "The  politician  clawed  his  rival" 

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