What does "paw" mean?

Paw: The hand. [Jocose] Dryden. Paw clam (Zoöl.), the tridacna; -- so called because shaped like an animal's paw.

Additional senses

  1. 2.To draw the forefoot along the ground; to beat or scrape with the forefoot. Job xxxix.
  2. 3.1. To pass the paw over; to stroke or handle with the paws; hence, to handle fondly or rudely.
  3. 4.To scrape or beat with the forefoot. His hot courser pawed the Hungarian plane. Tickell.

Sources