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Glite Dictionary
to declaw

to declaw

5 6.1
To remove the claws from a cat or other pet
  • verb
  • /dɪˈklɔː/
  • NSFW
translation icon : desunglar
  • It's simply cruel to leave a declawed cat outside defenseless.

So, you know, trim, put tips on, but don't declaw your cats.

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Examples

  • So I've had cats my entire life, and my first cats that I got and that my parents got for me were very young and we had no idea what declawing actually meant.

  • Given all that, it might seem surprising that some people still choose to declaw their cats.

    Blog text (14)

  • If this cat is declawed, it needs to come inside.

    Blog text (8)

  • I say, "Melanie, do you realize that Ashley has been declawed?"

    Fiction book (2001)

  • Before you take your cat to the vet to have it declawed, learn the facts about this unnatural and brutal procedure.

    Blog text (29)

  • The veterinarian explained the procedure to declaw the cat to the concerned owner.

  • Many people choose to declaw their cats to prevent them from scratching furniture.

  • If you decide to declaw a pet, it's important to understand the potential consequences.

Synonyms

to declaw a cat
vsto declaw
  • NSFW
1 7.4

To remove a cat's claws by surgery

is broader and applies to any animal rather than only one species

Phrasal Verbs

to declaw a cat
  • NSFW
1 7.4

To remove a cat's claws by surgery

How Invasive

to amputate
  • Specialized
48 7.2
to declaw
  • NSFW
5 6.1
clip
15 1.3
trim
33 2.5

Surface Forms

declaw infinitive
declawed past
declawed past participle
declawing present participle
declaws third person singular

Morphology

declaw = claw (transparent) = de + claw

The meaning follows the common English pattern of de- meaning removal, so 'declaw' is straightforwardly 'remove the claws from'.

Etymology

Declaw breaks into de- and claw, where de- means 'remove' and claw means 'sharp nail' on an animal. So to declaw is to 'remove' an animal's claws, which is why it means taking a cat's claws away.