to dewclaw
9.3
To remove the small extra claw from an animal's leg
- verb
- /ˈduːˌklɔː/
- Specialized
:
quitar el espolón
- The veterinarian will dewclaw the puppies to prevent future injuries.
Examples
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Some breeders choose not to dewclaw their dogs for ethical reasons.
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It is important to dewclaw young animals before the procedure becomes more difficult.
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The vet will dewclaw the puppy tomorrow.
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Don't forget to dewclaw the kittens before adoption.
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The veterinarian needs to dewclaw the older dogs to prevent painful injuries.
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Before the dog show, the breeder decided to dewclaw the puppies for safety.
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To ensure the safety of the dog, the owner arranged to dewclaw it before it could run outside.
Surface Forms
dewclaw infinitive
dewclawed past
dewclawed past participle
dewclawing present participle
dewclaws third person singular
Etymology
The word dewclaw as a verb means to remove the dew-claw from an animal. A helpful way to remember is 'taking away the dew claw', which explains why the verb means removing that small extra claw, often by surgery.
