Paw vs. Pawl — What's the Difference?

A paw is the soft foot-like part of a mammal, generally a quadruped, that has claws.

A pawl is a mechanical component that engages with another component to prevent movement in one direction, or prevent movement altogether. It is a type of latch.

The foot of an animal, especially a quadruped, that has claws or nails.

A hinged or pivoted device adapted to fit into a notch of a ratchet wheel to impart forward motion or prevent backward motion.

(Informal) A human hand, especially a large clumsy one

A pivoted catch designed to fall into a notch on a ratchet wheel so as to allow movement in only one direction (e.g. on a windlass or in a clock mechanism), or alternatively to move the wheel in one direction.

To feel or strike with the paw or paws.

A similar device to prevent motion in other mechanisms besides ratchets.

To strike or scrape with a beating motion

(transitive) To stop with a pawl.

To touch or handle clumsily or roughly.

A pivoted tongue, or sliding bolt, on one part of a machine, adapted to fall into notches, or interdental spaces, on another part, as a ratchet wheel, in such a manner as to permit motion in one direction and prevent it in the reverse, as in a windlass; a catch, click, or detent. See Illust. of Ratchet Wheel.

To feel or touch (another) in an annoying or unwanted way.

To stop with a pawl; to drop the pawls off.

To scrape the ground with the forefeet

A hinged catch that fits into a notch of a ratchet to move a wheel forward or prevent it from moving backward

To handle someone or something clumsily, rudely, or with too much familiarity

The soft foot of a mammal or other animal, generally a quadruped, that has claws or nails; comparable to a human hand or foot.

(humorous) A hand.

Father; pa.

(of an animal) To go through something (such as a garbage can) with paws.

(of an animal) To gently push on something with a paw.

(of an animal) To draw the forefoot along the ground; to beat or scrape with the forefoot.

(by extension) To touch someone in a sexual way.

(by extension) To clumsily dig through something.

To flatter.

The foot of a quadruped having claws, as the lion, dog, cat, etc.

The hand.

To draw the forefoot along the ground; to beat or scrape with the forefoot.

To pass the paw over; to stroke or handle with the paws; hence, to handle fondly or rudely.

To scrape or beat with the forefoot.

A clawed foot of an animal especially a quadruped

The (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb;

Scrape with the paws;

Touch clumsily;