claw

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
claw/klɔː/

▶noun

• 1 a curved, pointed horny nail on each digit of the foot in birds, lizards, and some mammals.

  ■ either of a pair of small hooked appendages on an insect's foot.

• 2 the pincer of a crab, scorpion, or other arthropod.

• 3 a mechanical device resembling a claw, used for gripping or lifting.

▶verb

• 1 (usu. claw at) scratch or tear at with the claws or fingernails.

  ■ clutch at with the hands.

• 2 (claw something back) regain money, power, etc. laboriously and gradually.

• 3 (of a sailing ship) beat to windward.

– derivatives
-clawed adjective,
clawless adjective.

– origin OE clawu (n.), clawian (v.), of W. Gmc origin.