CLAW

Pronunciation (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does claw mean? 

• CLAW (noun)
  The noun CLAW has 4 senses:

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
3. a grasping structure on the limb of a crustacean or other arthropods
4. a bird's foot

  Familiarity information: CLAW used as a noun is uncommon.

• CLAW (verb)
  The verb CLAW has 4 senses:

1. move as if by clawing, seizing, or digging
2. clutch as if in panic
3. scratch, scrape, pull, or dig with claws or nails
4. attack as if with claws

  Familiarity information: CLAW used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CLAW (noun)

Meaning:

Sharp curved horny process on the toe of a bird or some mammals or reptiles

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("claw" is a kind of...):

horny structure; unguis (any rigid body structure composed primarily of keratin)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "claw"):

bear claw (claw of a bear; often used in jewelry)

talon (a sharp hooked claw especially on a bird of prey)

Meaning:

A mechanical device that is curved or bent to suspend or hold or pull something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

claw; hook

Hypernyms ("claw" is a kind of...):

mechanical device (mechanism consisting of a device that works on mechanical principles)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "claw"):

anchor; ground tackle (a mechanical device that prevents a vessel from moving)

pothook (an S-shaped hook to suspend a pot over a fire)

tenterhook (one of a series of hooks used to hold cloth on a tenter)

Holonyms ("claw" is a part of...):

clothes hanger; coat hanger; dress hanger (a hanger that is shaped like a person's shoulders and used to hang garments on)

grapnel; grapple; grappler; grappling hook; grappling iron (a tool consisting of several hooks for grasping and holding; often thrown with a rope)

Meaning:

A grasping structure on the limb of a crustacean or other arthropods

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

chela; nipper; pincer; claw

Hypernyms ("claw" is a kind of...):

appendage; extremity; member (an external body part that projects from the body)

Holonyms ("claw" is a part of...):

crustacean (any mainly aquatic arthropod usually having a segmented body and chitinous exoskeleton)

Meaning:

A bird's foot

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("claw" is a kind of...):

bird's foot (the foot of a bird)

• CLAW (verb)

Meaning:

Move as if by clawing, seizing, or digging

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

They clawed their way to the top of the mountain

Hypernyms (to "claw" is one way to...):

make; work (proceed along a path)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something PP

Meaning:

Clutch as if in panic

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

She clawed the doorknob

Hypernyms (to "claw" is one way to...):

clutch; prehend; seize (take hold of; grab)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Meaning:

Scratch, scrape, pull, or dig with claws or nails

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "claw" is one way to...):

scrape; scratch; scratch up (cut the surface of; wear away the surface of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "claw"):

clapperclaw (claw with the nails)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s PP

Meaning:

Attack as if with claws

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

The politician clawed his rival

Hypernyms (to "claw" is one way to...):

assail; assault; attack; lash out; round; snipe (attack in speech or writing)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something