I. paw 1 /pɔː $ pɒː/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: poue ]
1 . an animal’s foot that has nails or ↑ claw s :
a lion’s paw
2 . informal someone’s hand – used when you are annoyed or angry:
Keep your filthy paws off me!
II. paw 2 BrE AmE verb [intransitive and transitive]
1 . if an animal paws a surface, it touches or rubs one place several times with its paw
paw at
The dog’s pawing at the door again – let him out.
His horse pawed the ground.
2 . informal to feel or touch someone in a rough or sexual way that is offensive:
He’d had too much to drink and started pawing me.