clave

¹ American  

[kleyv] / kleɪv /

verb

Archaic.

1. simple past tense of cleave.

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clave ² American  

[klah-vey] / ˈklɑ veɪ /

noun

1. one of a pair of wooden sticks or blocks that are held one in each hand and are struck together to accompany music and dancing.

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clave ¹ British  

/ kleɪv, klɑːv /

noun

1. music one of a pair of hardwood sticks struck together to make a hollow sound, esp to mark the beat of Latin-American dance music

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clave ² British  

/ kleɪv /

verb

1. archaic a past tense of cleave 1

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clave ³ British  

/ kleɪv /

noun

1. zoology a clublike thickening at the upper end of an organ, esp of the antenna of an insect

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Etymology

Origin of clave

First recorded in 1925–30; Latin American Spanish, Spanish: “keystone,” from Latin clāvis “key”

Example Sentences

But Mark Morris, perched on a stool and clacking out the rhythm with a pair of clave sticks, finds plenty to quarrel with as he oversees this rehearsal of his new work.

From Washington Post • Oct. 21, 2022

“I would go to write for the record, and I would play clave for five hours not knowing what I was doing,” she said.

From New York Times • Oct. 12, 2021

For an instant his legs seemed to refuse their office, his knees gave way from under him, and his tongue clave to the roof of his mouth.

From A Hero of Romance by Marsh, Richard

Although injustice was done her in this respect, she deserved the epithet "wild" in every other, and the name clave to her.

From Only a Girl: or, A Physician for the Soul. by Hillern, Wilhelmine von

Even after this extraordinary use of the jawbone it was in such good condition that, a hollow place being "clave" in it, a fount of water gushed forth for refreshing this remarkable warrior.

From English Secularism A Confession Of Belief by Holyoake, George Jacob

Related Words

• hew
• sunder