Forms: 1 clawian, (clawan), 3–4 clawen, 4–7 clawe (4–5 clowe, 5 clave, clove, 6 klawe), 6– claw. Pa. t. and pple. clawed (5 clavde, clovyd, 6 claud(e); str. pa. t. clew(e, clywe in 4–5 and mod. dial. (in sense 3). [In OE. in Ælfric’s Gram.: where clawiʓe belongs to a weak clawian, deriv. of clawa CLAW: cf. OHG. chlâwen, mod.G. klauen, kläuen, ODu. *klauwian, MDu. clouwen, clôien, MLG. klouwen, also MDu. claeuwen, Du. klauwen, in same sense. But the OE. clawe implies a str. vb. clawan, not found in the cognate langs. (The a in OE. is, as in the sb., of doubtful length.) In pa. ME. had generally claw(e)de, mod. clawed; but the strong clew is found in 14–15th c., app. only in sense 3 as in mod.Sc., which has also sometimes a pa. pple. clewn. (But strong inflexions of recent analogical origin are common dialectally.) It is possible that sense 3 and its extensions were influenced by the ON. str. vb. klá (klah-, klôh-, klôgom), used in that sense only, but not known to be etymologically related: see CLOE.]
1. trans. To scratch or tear with the claws, or (transf.) with the nails or a pointed instrument.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gram., xxviii. (Z.), 170. Scalpo, ic clawe [v.r. clawiʓe].
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 154. No þu havest scharpe clawe Ne kepe ich noht þat þu me clawe.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. Prol. 154. He [the cat] wil … Cracche vs, or clowe vs, and in his cloches holde.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 80. Clawyn or cracchyn [1499 scratche].
1547. Boorde, Brev. Health, § 292. A good payre of nayles, to crache and clawe.
1648. Hunting of Fox, 25. If we cannot claw, then must we dig them out.
1653. R. Mather, in Eliot & Mayhew, Tears Repent., C 3 b. The Grounds that they have fenced in, and clawed and broken up.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, XI. viii. (1840), 162/2. I have clawed the rascal: I have left the marks of my nails in his impudent face.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., iv. ‘I would claw down the tolbooth door wi’ my nails.’
1884. T. Carter, in Leeds Mercury, Weekly Supp. 15 Nov., 8/2. Five young kestrels, screaming, fighting, and clawing one another vindictively.
b. To scrape.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XIV. 17. Contricioun … Þat shal clawe pi cote of alkynnes filthe.
2. To seize, grip, clutch, or pull with claws.
1557. [? Ld. Vaux], in Tottel’s Misc. (Arb.), 173. For age with steyling steppes, Hath clawed me with his cowche [note crowche].
1602. Shaks., Ham., V. i. 80. But Age … hath clawed [Ff. caught] me in his clutch.
1674. N. Fairfax, Bulk & Selv., 90. That which claws away world from about them, would, ’tis like, wring out their Planethood from within them.
1751. Mrs. Delany, Lett. Mrs. Dewes, 67. I was clawed into the party out of civility.
1819. Byron, Juan, I. clxxxv. If at that moment he had chanced to claw it [the sword].
a. 1863. Thackeray, D. Duval, iv. (1867), 103. His hands were for ever stretched out to claw other folks’ money towards himself.
b. intr. To lay hold with the claws or (transf.) hands; to grasp or clutch (at, etc.); to scratch at.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XVII. 188. Powere hem [the fingers] failleth To clucche or to clawe.
1852. Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., I. vi. 74. Sam and Andy, clawing for certain fragmentary palm-leaves, which they were in the habit of considering as hats.
1863. Bates, Nat. Amazons, II. 57. [The sloth] raises his body … and claws around in search of a fresh foothold.
1863. Kingsley, Water-bab., v. (1878), 202. Tom reached and clawed down the hole after him.
3. trans. To scratch gently, apply friction with the nails, so as to relieve itching or irritation, promote calmness or clear-headedness, or soothe. (Now, the common sense in Sc.: thence ‘to claw an auld man’s pow’ = to attain to old age.)
c. 1320. Seuyn Sag. (W.), 925. He clew the bor on the rigge … He clewe him eft upon the wombe; He fil adoun als a lombe.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 5339. Wanne þe Ameral hym vnderstod, A clew ys heued.
c. 1384. Chaucer, H. Fame, 1702. With that about y clywe [Bodley, clew; Caxton, torned] myn hede. Ibid. (c. 1386), Wife’s T., 84. If eny wight wold claw us on the galle.
c. 1460. J. Russell, Bk. Nurture, 279, in Babees Bk. (1868), 134. Youre hed ne bak ye claw, a fleigh as þaughe ye sought.
1532. More, Confut. Tindale, Wks. 728/1. He began to studie a little, & clawe his head, and rubbe his forehead.
1572. N. Roscarrocke, Prelim. Verses, in Bossewell, Armorie. The court brake vp, they claude their eares, & parted with a trice.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., II. iv. 282. Looke, if the wither’d Elder hath not his Poll claw’d like a Parrot.
1637. Rutherford, Lett., No. 138 (1862), I. 331. When he [Job] lay in the ashes, God was with him, clawing and curing his scabs.
1664. Butler, Hud., II. II. 73/74. Whether’t be a Sin To Claw and Curry your own skin.
1813. E. Picken, Poems, II. 140 (Jam.). I … claw, owre soon, an auld man’s pow.
b. intr.
1393. Gower, Conf., II. 93. He sitteth by the fire And claweth on his bare shankes.
1862. Thornbury, Turner, I. 315. The giant … claws at his wound, and raises his supplicating hand to Neptune.
† c. Phr. To claw where it doth not itch. Obs.
1515. Barclay, Egloges, IV. (1570), C iij/3. I clawe oft where it doth not itche, To see ten beggers and half a dosen riche.
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 70. Thou makest me claw where it itcheth not.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, III. xxiii. (Arb.), 279. A Herald … vsed much this terme (sacred Maiestie) which was not vsually geuen to the French king…. [The latter] said somewhat sharply, I pray thee good fellow clawe me not where I itch not with thy sacred maiestie.
† 4. fig. To claw the back of, or to claw by the back: to ‘stroke down,’ flatter, fawn upon. So to claw (a person’s) toe, to claw by the sleeve. Obs. exc. dial.
c. 1394. P. Pl. Crede, 365. Whou þey curry kinges, & her back claweþ.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., 109. And do noght but lakys and clowse hir toose.
1509. Barclay, Shyp Folys (1874), II. 29. He loueth to be flatered and clawed by the sleue.
1530. Palsgr., 349. He claweth my toe, il me gratigne le orteil.
a. 1541. Wyatt, Poet. Wks. (1861), 158. ‘Take heed of him that by the back thee claweth:’ For none is worse than is a friendly foe.
1597. Bp. Hall, Sat., I. Prol. 11. To claw the back of him that beastly lives.
1881. [see 5].
† b. So to claw the ears, humor, etc.: to tickle, flatter, gratify (the senses, etc.). Obs.
1549. Coverdale, Erasm. Par. 1st John, 45. Certayne iugglinges of vayne pleasures to clawe the senses of the bodye withall.
1579. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 468/1. Yet those men that desire newes, would gladly haue their eares clawed with some vaine matter.
1655. Gurnall, Chr. in Arm., xvi. (1669), 64/2. The false Prophets pleasing words, with which they clawed Ahab’s proud humour.
1681. R. L’Estrange, Apol. Prot., IV. ii. 124. They claw and gratifie the vanity and ambition of the Monks.
5. Thence claw itself came to mean: To flatter, cajole, wheedle, fawn upon. Obs. exc. dial.
c. 1425. Seven Sag. (P.), 984. Thus schaltou be clovyd also With fykyl wordis & with false.
1553. Grimalde, Cicero’s Offices, I. (1558), 41. Nor suffer ourselves to bee clawed with flatterye.
1591. Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. iv. (1641), 31/2. In courting Ladies, or in clawing Lords.
1599. Shaks., Much Ado, I. iii. 18. I must … laugh when I am merry, and claw no man in his humor.
1621. Molle, Camerar. Liv. Libr., I. xii. 39. Let no man … claw himselfe with the discourse of the nobilitie of his predecessors.
1628. Wither, Brit. Rememb., III. 949. Whose Dedications Doe sooth and claw the times abominations.
1703. J. Savage, Lett. Antients, xiv. 74. I shou’d seem to conspire with you, to claw one another.
1881. Leicestersh. Gloss. (E. D. S.), Claw, to flatter; cringe to; ‘toady’ … to ‘claw the back’ is the commoner form.
b. Phr. Claw me and I’ll claw thee.
1531. Tindale, Expos. 1 John (1537), 72. We saye, clawe me, clawe ye.
1614. T. Adams, Devil’s Banquet, 64. Claw me, and I will claw thee: Winke at mine, and I will not see thy faults.
1637. Heywood, Dialogues, xiv. 228. These two betwixt themselves use Homers phrase, Claw me, I’le claw thee; Let’s live many dayes.
1653. Gataker, Vind. Annot. Jer., 36. If he would … claw Mr. Lilie a little, M. L. would claw him again.
1825. Blackw. Mag., XVII. 461. I do not object to Jeffrey’s clawing his … brother Editor, who so regularly claws him in his New Monthly.
† c. intr. Const. upon, with. Obs.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1673), 109. If they fawn and claw upon a man.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1650), II. 52. Here it is not the stile to claw and complement with the king.
1670. Baxter, Cure Ch. Div., Pref. III. § 4. That I have clawed with one party, and have girded at the other.
d. To claw favor = to curry favor. Obs. or Sc.
1814. Scott, Wav., xi. ‘Ane wha deserts his ain friends to claw favour wi’ the rats of Hanover.’
6. trans. To claw off: a. To get rid of (as an itch by clawing), to get free from. b. (Sc.) To ‘get rid of,’ ‘dispose of’ (food); ‘to eat with rapidity and voraciousness’ (Jam.). Obs.
1514. Visit. Bp. Norwich, in Tanner MS., 210. 46 (Bodl. Libr.). I shall gyff the such a stryppe that thow shalt not klawe yt of a yere after.
1630. Prynne, Anti-Armin., 89. A stegmaticall Impresse, which our Arminians shall neuer be able to claw off againe.
1668. Dryden & Dk. Newcastle, Sir M. Mar-all, II. i. I have not yet claw’d off your last ill Usage.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), VIII. 355. This … is a grief, he declares, that he shall never claw off.
a. 1769. Watty & Madge, in Herd, Collection (1776), II. 200 (Jam.). [He] clawed it aff most cleverly Till he could eat nae mair.
7. Naut. (intr.) ‘To beat or turn to windward from a lee-shore, so as to be at sufficient distance from it to avoid shipwreck’ (Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk.). Also to claw off (the shore, or from the shore, or absol.), quasi-trans. to claw it off. So (trans.) to claw the wind.
a. 1642. Sir W. Monson, Naval Tracts, II. (1703), 260/1. Being near the Land and a Gale of Wind coming off from Sea … a Ship cannot claw it off. Ibid., 302/1. They could not claw off the Shore.
1696. Phil. Trans., XIX. 352. When Shipping come into the Bay between the Spurn and Winterton, they can hardly claw it of (as Sea men phrase it) with Northerly and Easterly Winds.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1789), Ranger le vent, to claw the wind, or haul close to the wind.
1772–84. Cook, Voy. (1790), IV. 1366. That ship could best claw off the land.
1833. Marryat, P. Simple, xv. We were forced to carry on at all risks, that we might claw off shore. Ibid. (1837), Dog-fiend, v. We were off the Texel … with the coast under our lee, clawing off under storm canvas.
† 8. To strike with hoofs, paws or hands; to box, beat. Obs. exc. dial. To claw up his mittens: to give him the finishing stroke (Gloss. to Scott).
1584. R. Scot, Discov. Witchcr., III. xvi. 66–7. He counterfeiting Aesops asse, claweth the pope with his heeles.
c. 1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Claw’d-off, lustily lasht.
1769. in Chambers, Scot. Song (1829), 43. The lads began to claw, then.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., xxiv. ‘He claws up their mittans.’
Mod. Sc. I’ll claw your lugs; I’ll claw his chafts.
† 9. To claw away, off: a. to rate soundly, scold, revile. Obs.
1692. R. L’Estrange, Fables, 202 (J.). ’Tis the Jade Fortune, I warrant ye, that’s to be Claw’d away for’t: if you should happen to Lose it again.
1699–1700. Bp. Nicolson, Lett. to Yates, 15 March, Lett. 1809, I. 166 (T.). Mr. Baxter … claws off the Episcopal party as a set of Cassandrian Papists.
1812. C. K. Sharpe, in Corr. (1888), I. 544. You should claw her off soundly in a note or in the preface.
† b. To complete or despatch with speed. Obs. or dial.
1701. Miége, Fr. Dict., To claw it off, or claw it away … faire une chose avec empressement, en faire une pronte depêche: I clawed it off to-day, or I worked very hard.
