ENGLISH
REFERENCE

paws

n. countable
A2 Elementary US //ˈpɔz// UK //pˈɔːz// paws Humorous Informal

n. the soft, padded feet of an animal that has claws, like a cat, dog, or bear. People sometimes use the word to talk about human hands in a funny or casual way.

n. the soft, cushioned feet of a quadruped mammal, typically one possessing claws or nails. Often used metonymically or humorously in informal speech to refer to human hands.


SIMPLE

The cat licked its front paws after eating.

CONTEXTUAL

The puppy left muddy paws all over the clean kitchen floor after playing in the garden.

COMPLEX

The bear's massive paws were equipped with sharp claws designed for both digging and defense, leaving deep impressions in the soft riverbank mud.

Synonyms
Origin

Pun on pause sounding identical to paws (plural of paw).

Usage

Usually appears in the plural when referring to an animal's feet; the singular form 'paw' is used for a specific limb or the action of touching with a foot.

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