Claw \Claw\, n. [AS. clawu, cl[=a], cle['o]; akin to D. klaauw, G. Klaue, Icel. kl[=o], 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.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Claw \Claw\ (kl[add]), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Clawed (kl[add]d); 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.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

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.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)