paw

paw — noun

1. the soft padded foot of cats, dogs, bears, and similar creatures, with claws at

1.nounA2
Definition

the soft padded foot of cats, dogs, bears, and similar creatures, with claws at the tip of each toe

Example

Nila's puppy left tiny paw prints across the freshly washed floor.

collocation: paw prints

The cat lifted a muddy paw and tapped the window until it opened.

Common collocations
  • paw print
  • paw mark
  • paw pad
  • front paw
  • back paw
  • muddy paw
  • wet paw
Synonyms
  • foot

    general term for the lower part of any animal's leg; less specific than 'paw'

  • pad

    refers only to the soft, cushiony underside of a paw, not the whole foot

  • claw

    the sharp curved nail at the tip of a paw, not the foot itself

Antonyms
  • hoof

    the hard foot of horses, cows, and deer — opposite in texture and structure

Grammar Patterns

[animal]'s paw

paw + print / mark

Common Mistakes

The horse has four paws.
The horse has four hooves.
Horses, cows, and deer have hooves, which are hard and solid, not soft paws like cats or dogs.

2. an informal and disapproving or humorous word for a person's hand, used when it

2.nounB2
Definition

an informal and disapproving or humorous word for a person's hand, used when it is too big, dirty, or is being used in a rough way

Example

Yan laughed and told his little sister to keep her paws off his new bicycle.

informal: 'paws' for hands

Take your grimy paws off my laptop, Harper shouted at her younger brother.

Common collocations
  • your paws
  • his paws
  • grimy paws
  • keep your paws off
  • get your paws off
Synonyms
  • hand

    the neutral word; 'paw' adds a disapproving or humorous tone

  • mitt

    informal, similar tone but less common; suggests boxing gloves or cold-weather gloves, not bare hands

Grammar Patterns

[possessive] + paws

keep/take/get your paws off [something/someone]

Usage Note

Only use this sense in informal situations with people you know well. In neutral or formal contexts, always use 'hand' instead — using 'paws' for human hands can sound rude.

Common Mistakes

The doctor examined my paws.
The doctor examined my hands.
'Paws' for human hands sounds insulting; never use it in formal, medical, or polite contexts.

paw — verb

Word family

  • pawed
    adjectiveB2
  • pawing
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Paw', 'foot', 'hoof', 'claw', and 'pad' all relate to animal feet but differ sharply in meaning. 'Paw' is the soft, padded foot of clawed mammals such as cats, dogs, and bears — it has both the pad and the toes with claws. 'Foot' is the broadest term and can refer to the lower extremity of any animal or human; it carries no specific information about structure. 'Hoof' is the hard, horny covering on the feet of horses, cows, deer, and similar grazing animals — it is the structural opposite of a soft paw, designed for running on hard ground rather than gripping or scratching. 'Claw' is not the foot itself but the sharp, curved nail at the tip of each toe on a paw. 'Pad' refers only to the thick, cushiony part on the underside of a paw. For example: 'The dog lifted its paw to shake hands' uses the whole foot; 'The cat's claws came out when it stretched' names just the nails; 'The horse's hooves clattered on the road' describes a completely different foot structure.

paw ↗foothoof ↗clawpad ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • keep your paws off
  • get your paws off
  • paw at the ground

Prepositions

Etymology

Old FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'paw' entered English around the 13th century from Middle English 'pawe', which likely came from Old French 'poue' or 'pate' meaning 'foot of an animal'. Some scholars suggest a connection to Germanic roots, comparing it to Middle Dutch 'pote' and Middle Low German 'pote', both meaning 'paw'. The original meaning — the foot of a clawed animal — has remained stable for over 700 years. The extended senses (human hand, and the verb meaning 'to touch roughly') developed in the 16th–17th centuries, reflecting the same playful or disapproving tone that the word carries today.