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.

Claw (klô), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Clawed (klôd); 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.

Claw (klô), n. [AS. clawu, clā, cleó; akin to D. klaauw, G. klaue, Icel. klō, 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.