Klaue

See also: klaue

German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈklaʊ̯ə/

• Audio:

  (file)

Etymology 1

From Middle High German klawe, from Old High German klāwa, from Proto-Germanic *klawō. Compare Dutch klauw, English claw, Danish klo.

Noun

Klaue f (genitive Klaue, plural Klauen, diminutive Kläuchen n or Kläulein n)

1. claw, talon

   Synonym: Kralle

2. cloven hoof
3. (figurative, chiefly in the plural) control

   den Klauen des Todes entweichen ― to escape the claws of death

   jemanden in den Klauen haben ― to have someone in one's claws

   jemandem in die Klauen fallen ― to fall in someone's claws

4. (slang, chiefly derogatory, figurative) hand

   Synonyms: Kralle, Flosse, Pfote

   Nimm deine schmutzigen Klauen weg! ― Take your filthy claws away!

5. (slang, derogatory) chicken scratch (poor handwriting)

   Synonyms: (Austria) Kraxe, Sauklaue

6. part of hook-like shape, especially with the purpose of grasping, gripping
   1. triangular recess at the junction of two beams
   2. a projection on a machine part which, when engaged or engaged in a correspondingly shaped recess in another machine part, makes a detachable connection with the latter

Declension

Declension of Klaue [feminine]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	eine	die	Klaue	die	Klauen
genitive	einer	der	Klaue	der	Klauen
dative	einer	der	Klaue	den	Klauen
accusative	eine	die	Klaue	die	Klauen

Derived terms

• Dreiklauer

Etymology 2

Back-formation of klauen

Noun

Klaue f (genitive Klaue, no plural)

1. stealing

   auf Klaue gehen ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)

Declension

Declension of Klaue [sg-only, feminine]

	singular
	indef.	def.	noun
nominative	eine	die	Klaue
genitive	einer	der	Klaue
dative	einer	der	Klaue
accusative	eine	die	Klaue

Further reading

• “Klaue” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.
• “Klaue” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “Klaue (Kralle, Handschrift, Bauteil)” in Duden online
• “Klaue (Diebstahl)” in Duden online