paddy paw

paddy paw

English

Etymology

pad + -y + paw

Noun

paddy paw (plural paddy paws)

1. An animal's paw with a soft pad.
   • 1894, Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Book

     Mowgli was sitting cross-legged, and explaining things with his forefinger in his usual way, when Bagheera put out a paddy paw and pulled him over backwards into the water.

   • 2002, Hazel Hutchins, TJ and the Cats

     He reached out a paddy paw. Bat. Bat. The door bounced ajar. Max walked in.

   • 2006, Jonathan Stroud, Ptolemy's Gate

     My voice was velvet-smooth. "Be careful, though. I'm not exactly defenseless myself." From my paddy-paw a talon popped, curved like a sickle moon.