claw

claw
    n 1: sharp curved horny process on the toe of a bird or some
         mammals or reptiles
    2: a mechanical device that is curved or bent to suspend or hold
       or pull something [syn: {hook}, {claw}]
    3: a grasping structure on the limb of a crustacean or other
       arthropods [syn: {claw}, {chela}, {nipper}, {pincer}]
    4: a bird's foot
    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"
    

Claw \Claw\ (kl[add]), 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.
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   2. The whole foot of an animal armed with hooked nails; the
      pinchers of a lobster, crab, etc.
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   3. Anything resembling the claw of an animal, as the curved
      and forked end of a hammer for drawing nails.
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   4. (Bot.) A slender appendage or process, formed like a claw,
      as the base of petals of the pink. --Gray.
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   {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.
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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.
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   {To claw off} (Naut.), to turn to windward and beat, to
      prevent falling on a lee shore.
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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.
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   2. To relieve from some uneasy sensation, as by scratching;
      to tickle; hence, to flatter; to court. [Obs.]
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            Rich men they claw, soothe up, and flatter; the poor
            they contemn and despise.             --Holland.
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   3. To rail at; to scold. [Obs.]
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            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
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   {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.
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79 Moby Thesaurus words for "claw":
      abduct, abrade, agonize, bark, blemish, bloody, break, burn,
      carry off, catch, chafe, check, chip, convulse, crack, craze,
      crucify, cut, excruciate, fracture, fray, frazzle, fret, gall,
      gash, grab, grapple, harrow, hurt, impale, incise, injure, kidnap,
      kill by inches, lacerate, lancinate, macerate, maim,
      make mincemeat of, martyr, martyrize, maul, mutilate, nail, pierce,
      puncture, punish, rack, rake, rend, rip, run, rupture, savage,
      scald, scarify, scorch, scotch, scrabble, scrape, scratch, scuff,
      shanghai, skin, slash, slit, sprain, stab, stick, strain, talon,
      tear, throttle, torment, torture, traumatize, wound, wrench,
      wring