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. [ 1913 Webster ]

To claw off (Naut.), to turn to windward and beat, to prevent falling on a lee shore. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. clawu, clā, cleó; akin to D. klaauw, G. klaue, Icel. klō, Sw. & Dan. klo, and perh. to E. clew. ] 1. A sharp, hooked nail, as of a beast or bird. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The whole foot of an animal armed with hooked nails; the pinchers of a lobster, crab, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Anything resembling the claw of an animal, as the curved and forked end of a hammer for drawing nails. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Bot.) A slender appendage or process, formed like a claw, as the base of petals of the pink. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Clawed p. pr. & vb. n. Clawing. ] [ AS. clawan. See Claw, n. ] 1. To pull, tear, or scratch with, or as with, claws or nails. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To relieve from some uneasy sensation, as by scratching; to tickle; hence, to flatter; to court. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Rich men they claw, soothe up, and flatter; the poor they contemn and despise. Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To rail at; to scold. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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 [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To flatter. [ Obs. ] Warner. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Flattering; sycophantic. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Like a clawback parasite. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A flatterer or sycophant. [ Obs. ] “Take heed of these clawbacks.” Latimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Furnished with claws. N. Grew. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Destitute of claws. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. having a base shaped like a claw; -- of flower petals. [ WordNet 1.5 ]