claw hammer

a hammer having a head with one end curved and cleft for pulling out nails.

Informal. a dress coat.

Origin of claw hammer

First recorded in 1760–70

claw·ham·mer, adjective

Exchanging the claw-hammer for his office coat, Burns went out by way of the French window to the rear of the house.

Red Pepper Burns |Grace S. Richmond
You are expected, sir, in a stovepipe hat and a claw-hammer coat!

Sailing Alone Around The World |Joshua Slocum
There's many on 'em, with claw-hammer coats and diamonds in their shirt-fronts, as hasn't got two quid to knock together.

In Friendship's Guise |Wm. Murray Graydon
Two nouns used in other than their natural signification; claw-hammer.

Compound Words |Frederick W. Hamilton

The master wore a frock coat, but the servant was dressed in a "claw-hammer," and looked like a first-class waiter.

Fighting for the Right |Oliver Optic

claw hammer

a hammer with a cleft at one end of the head for extracting nails Also called: carpenter's hammer