Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
noun
The soft foot of a mammal or other animal, generally a quadruped, that has claws or nails; comparable to a human hand or foot.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: hand, foot
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: extremity
noun
A hand.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: also, humorous, slang
Topics: lifestyle
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Alternative form of pa (“father”).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: alt-of, alternative
Qualifier: nonstandard or rustic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: ayr, ba, baba, da, dad, dada, daddio, daddy, father, fatherling, governor, old man, pa, pap, papa, papa bear, papaw, pappaw, pappy, pater, patriarch, paw, pawpaw, peepaw, pepaw, pop, poppa, poppy, pops, sire
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: ayr, ba, baba, da, dad, dada, daddio, daddy, father, fatherling, governor, old man, pa, pap, papa, papa bear, papaw, pappaw, pappy, pater, patriarch, paw, pawpaw, peepaw, pepaw, pop, poppa, poppy, pops, sire
noun
Abbreviation of plasma arc welding (an arc welding technology).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: PAW welding
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Abbreviation of plasma arc weld (a weld created with the PAW process).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, countable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: PAW weld
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Of an animal, to touch (something) with a paw.
Of an animal, to dig through (something, such as a garbage can) with paws.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Of an animal, to touch (something) with a paw.
Of an animal, to draw the forefoot along the ground; to beat or scrape with the forefoot.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To touch (someone) in a sexual way.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: broadly, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: feel up, fiddle, fondle, grope, palpate, touch up
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To clumsily dig (through something).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: broadly, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: fumble, go through, rummage
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To flatter.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dated, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
a clawed foot of an animal especially a quadruped
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: animal foot, foot
Narrower terms: forepaw
noun
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: hand, manus, mitt
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: extremity
Narrower terms: fist, clenched fist, hooks, meat hooks, maulers, right, right hand, left, left hand
verb
touch clumsily
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: caress, fondle
verb
scrape with the paws
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: scrape, grate
History
From Middle English pawe, from Old French poue, poe, from Vulgar Latin *pauta. Further origin unknown, perhaps from Frankish *pōta, from Frankish *pōtōn (“to put, stick, plant”), from Proto-Germanic *putōną, whence also Old English potian (“to push”), pȳtan (“to put out, poke out”). See more at put. Doublet of pote, put, and putt. Cognate with Dutch poot, poten (“to plant”), Low German Pote, German Pfote, Icelandic pota (“to stick”).
The word probably has an origin in baby talk. See pa.
Across languages
117 source translations are retained for this English entry.
