claw
claw — noun
- clawsingular
- clawsplural
1. A thin, hard, sharply curved nail that grows from the end of the toe in many mam
A thin, hard, sharply curved nail that grows from the end of the toe in many mammals, birds, and reptiles, helping the animal hold onto things, tear food, fight, or climb surfaces.
The cat stretched out its paw and dug its claws into the sofa cushion.
dig + possessive pronoun + claws into [surface]
Eagles use their sharp claws to catch fish from rivers and lakes.
use claws to [verb] — purpose construction
The bear's claws left deep grooves in the tree bark after it climbed up.
Amelia held the iguana carefully so its claws would not scratch her arm.
文法句型
usually plural
用法筆記
Often used in plural form since animals typically have multiple claws. The singular is used when referring to a single claw.
常見錯誤
2. Each of the paired front limbs of certain arthropods — especially crabs, lobster
Each of the paired front limbs of certain arthropods — especially crabs, lobsters, and scorpions — that forms a pincer-like shape and is used to seize food, defend against threats, and signal to other animals.
The lobster raised its claws when the diver came too close.
raise claws — defensive posture
Nora cracked open the crab claw with a small hammer to reach the meat inside.
Scorpions grab their prey with their front claws before stinging it.
A hermit crab uses one claw to block the entrance of its shell when threatened.
文法句型
the claws of [animal]
用法筆記
For crustaceans, 'claw' is commonly used interchangeably with 'pincer', though 'claw' is more casual. In scientific contexts, the term 'chela' is preferred.
常見錯誤
3. A person's hand that has become permanently or temporarily bent and stiff in a w
A person's hand that has become permanently or temporarily bent and stiff in a way that resembles the curved claw of an animal, typically resulting from illness, nerve damage, or old age.
The old woman's hands had curled into claws after years of arthritis.
curl/curl into a claw — shape-change metaphor
Tomás raised his claw of a hand and waved at the nurses.
The doctor examined the patient's clawed hand to see if the tendons were still working.
When Tamar's hand cramped during the long exam, it looked like a small, pale claw.
- claw hand
the fixed medical term for this deformity
文法句型
like a claw
in a claw
用法筆記
This sense is almost always figurative and carries a somewhat negative or pitying tone. It is not a clinical medical term — the formal medical term is 'claw hand' or 'main en griffe'.
常見錯誤
4. A curved metal tip on a hand tool or piece of equipment — for example, a hammer,
A curved metal tip on a hand tool or piece of equipment — for example, a hammer, a crane, or a robotic arm — that is modelled after an animal claw and serves to pull out nails, lift heavy items, or hold objects firmly.
Pedro used the claw of his hammer to pull bent nails from the old floorboards.
claw of [tool] — partitive construction
The crane's metal claw lifted the wrecked car off the road after the accident.
Children stood watching the claw machine drop its prize back into the pile of toys.
The robot's claw gripped the broken pipe and twisted it free from the wall.
文法句型
the claw of [tool]
claw [noun]
用法筆記
In compound nouns, 'claw' often functions as an adjective-like modifier: 'claw hammer', 'claw machine' (also called a 'claw crane' in some regions).
claw — verb
- clawpresent simple I / you / we / they
- claws3rd person singular
- clawing-ing form
- clawedpast simple
1. To scratch, tear, pull, dig, or grab at something using the nails, claws, or han
To scratch, tear, pull, dig, or grab at something using the nails, claws, or hands — often in a desperate or aggressive way, or to try to reach or hold onto something.
The terrified cat clawed at the screen door, trying to escape from the dog.
claw + at + object — desperate scratching
Hassan clawed through the pile of old photographs, looking for the one of his grandmother.
claw through [object] — digging/searching metaphor
The hikers clawed their way up the muddy slope, grasping at roots and rocks.
Nora clawed frantically at the locked door until her fingernails broke.
The dog had clawed a hole under the fence and escaped into the neighbour's yard.
文法句型
claw + at + object
claw + object + adverb/preposition
用法筆記
When used intransitively with 'at', the focus is on the action (scratching, grabbing) rather than the result. When used transitively with a direct object, it usually implies the object was damaged, moved, or created by the clawing.