Paws is the plural of paw, referring to the feet of non-human animals that have claws or pads. The term is commonly used in contexts about pets or wildlife, and can also function metaphorically in phrases about animal movement. It is pronounced with a single syllable, typically functioning as a noun in everyday usage.
- You may pronounce paws as /pæs/ with a short æ; correct by elongating the vowel toward /ɔː/ as in 'paw' or 'saw,' keeping it a single syllable. - Another error is voiceless ending /s/ (/pɔs/). Ensure your vocal cords vibrate to produce /z/, especially in phrase-final positions. - Finally, some learners confuse /ɔː/ with /ɒ/ or /ɑ/, producing /pɒz/ or /pɑz/. Practice with minimal pairs focusing on vowel quality: paws vs pals, paws vs pause (though pause is two syllables, it helps contrast vowels). Slow, deliberate mouth shaping helps you align lips and tongue for the /ɔː/ vowel and the /z/ voice.
- US: The /ɔː/ vowel can be realized as a broad back vowel with slight diphthonging before /z/. You’ll use a relaxed jaw, with the lips spread slightly. - UK: Maintain a pure /ɔː/ with less vowel reduction; the tongue sits toward a mid-back position, lips rounded. The /z/ remains voiced; avoid devoicing at the end. - AU: Similar to UK, but could lean toward a slightly closer vowel; keep the final /z/ crisp. IPA references: /pɔːz/ across variants. - Tips: Keep the vowel height stable, avoid tensing your jaw or letting the vowel drift toward /ɒ/; practice with phrases like 'paws on the ground' to keep the mouth shaping consistent.
"The cat tucked its paws under and curled up."
"The dog lifted his paws carefully onto the wet pavement."
"The dog’s paws were muddy after the hike."
"She watched the bear pads its paws through the snow."
Paws comes from the Old French word paue, from paon?; however, the more accurate lineage traces to the English noun paw (Old English paew or paewan), meaning the foot or paw of an animal, especially with claws or pads. The modern plural paws emerged in Middle English as usage expanded to denote both singular and plural animal feet in everyday speech. The sense of the verb phrase “to paw at” reflecting an animal’s improvisational striking or scratching activity also contributed to the lexical spread. Over time, “paw” consolidated into everyday animal vocabulary, while “paw” as a verb (to paw at) gained idiomatic usage in literature and colloquial speech. First known uses appear in Middle English texts, with robust evidence in 15th–16th century animal descriptions, and the plural form became standard in the same period as owner-pet language grew in domestic settings.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "Paws" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "Paws" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Paws" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "Paws"
-aws sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
You pronounce paws with a single syllable: /pɔːz/ in broad terms. Start with a p sound, then an open, rounded back vowel like in 'caught' (British /ɔː/), and finish with a voiced z. The key is not to slide into a separate syllable. In many US dialects you’ll hear /pɔz/ or a near /pɒːz/ depending on region. Try: pout-zee without a second syllable, just a smooth glide into z. See audio resources linked for native pronunciation reference.
Common mistakes include saying /pæs/ with a short æ as in ‘pass,’ which makes it sound like a different word, or ending with a voiceless /s/ instead of a voiced /z/. Another pitfall is misplacing the vowel; using /pɒs/ or /pɔs/ can shift meaning or alarm listeners. To correct: keep the vowel quality as /ɔː/ (or /ɔ/ in some accents) and voice the final consonant as z /z/. Practice with minimal pairs like paws vs pause to train contrast with vowel and voicing.
In US English, paws often rhymes with ‘laws,’ using /ɔː/ or a nasalized /ɔ/. In UK English, you generally maintain the longer /ɔː/ vowel, with /z/ ending. Australian English likewise tends toward the /ɔː/ vowel, with a clear voiced /z/. Regional variation may shift to a shorter vowel in some American dialects, producing /pɔz/ or /pɑz/; however, most speakers keep the /ɔː/ quality. The main differences are vowel length and rhoticity; non-rhotic accents won’t affect paws dramatically, as /z/ remains voiced in all.
The challenge lies in producing the correct open-mid back vowel quality before a voiced consonant. For many speakers, the difference between /ɔː/ versus a shorter /ɒ/ or /ɒː/ is subtle but important for natural-sounding paws. Another difficulty is ensuring the final /z/ is voiced and not devoiced to /s/ in fast speech, which can make it sound like ‘paws’ with a hiss. Tuning the vocal fold voicing and mouth shape helps you land the correct oral posture for this one-syllable word.
There is no silent letter in paws; it is monosyllabic with primary stress on the single syllable by default. The essential nuance is the vowel length and voicing of the final consonant. In connected speech, you may notice a slight reduction in the vowel before /z/ in rapid speech, but the vowel should still be recognizable as /ɔ/ or /ɔː/. The word is short, so you’ll hear clear voice onset and a crisp end consonant when spoken cleanly.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "Paws"!
- Shadowing: Listen to native audio of paws, then repeat in real time, matching intonation and voicing. - Minimal pairs: paws / pause (two syllables) aren’t perfect minimal pairs, but practice against /pɔːt/ (port) or /pox/ to tune vowel length; focus on the vowel before /z/. - Rhythm: Treat paws as a single beat; don’t shorten it; keep it steady with natural tempo. - Stress: The word is monosyllabic; ensure peak timing lands on the entire word with a crisp end. - Recording: Record yourself saying 'paws' in isolation and in phrases ('dog’s paws', 'paws on the ground') and compare to native audio. - Context: Use in animal descriptions and pet care contexts to practice fluid integration.
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