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# maw

noun (a maw, maws); (Scotland, informal) noun (maw = mum)

«maw» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A maw is the mouth, jaws or throat of a hungry or fierce animal. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maw/#m1)
2. A maw is anything that seems to swallow things up, like a big dark hole: «the maw of the cave». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maw/#m2)
3. (Scotland, informal) «Maw» means mum or mother; «Paw» is dad. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maw/#m3)

### In the lessons

In stories and poems, «maw» makes a monster or animal sound scary and greedy: «the dragon's gaping maw». In descriptive writing, it is a strong word for a dark opening. In Scottish speech, a child may call their mum «Maw». Phrases: «gaping maw», «into the maw of».

### Examples

- The crocodile opened its huge maw. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maw/#x1)
- The ship sailed into the dark maw of the storm. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maw/#x2)
- The dragon's maw was full of sharp teeth. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maw/#x3)
- The cave's black maw frightened the explorers. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maw/#x4)
- «Maw, can I go out to play?» asked the boy in Glasgow. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maw/#x5)
- The whale's maw swallowed the tiny fish. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maw/#x6)
- Now, just as the father pitched his younger son into the sea, a great whale-fish was coming along and swallowed him, and into its maw he went. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maw/#x7)

### Note

Countable. Literary in its main sense; in everyday speech people say «mouth» or «jaws». The Scottish «Maw» (mum) is informal and regional. Rhymes with «saw».

## In Jewish tradition

The priests receive the shoulder, two cheeks and the maw from the animals people bring as sacrifices.

**Interpretation.** The rabbis taught that these gifts to the priests, the foreleg, cheeks and stomach, show that the people support those who serve in the sanctuary.

### Examples

- And this shall be the priests' due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep, that they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw. (Torah DEU.18.3, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/maw/#x1)

### Note

Countable. Literary in its main sense; in everyday speech people say «mouth» or «jaws». The Scottish «Maw» (mum) is informal and regional. Rhymes with «saw».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «maw» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/maw/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«maw» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/maw.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «maw» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/maw/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«maw» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/maw.html) on Mova free.