cleave
1[ kleev ]
/ kliv /
verb (used without object), cleaved or (Archaic) clave; cleaved; cleav·ing.
to adhere closely; stick; cling (usually followed by to).
to remain faithful (usually followed by to): to cleave to one's principles in spite of persecution.
RELATED CONTENT
RELATED WORDS
hew, sunder, rive, pierce, cut, rend, separate, divorce, dissect, hack, rip, chop, crack, part, stab, slice, disunite, carve, open, whack
Nearby words
- cleavage division,
- cleavage line,
- cleavage product,
- cleavage site,
- cleavage spindle,
- cleaver,
- cleavers,
- cleburne,
- clechy,
- cleck
Origin of cleave
1before 900; Middle English cleven, Old English cleofian, cognate with Old High German klebēn (German kleben)
cleave
2[ kleev ]
/ kliv /
verb (used with object), cleft or cleaved or clove, cleft or cleaved or clo·ven, cleav·ing.
to split or divide by or as if by a cutting blow, especially along a natural line of division, as the grain of wood.
to make by or as if by cutting: to cleave a path through the wilderness.
to penetrate or pass through (air, water, etc.): The bow of the boat cleaved the water cleanly.
to cut off; sever: to cleave a branch from a tree.
verb (used without object), cleft or cleaved or clove, cleft or cleaved or clo·ven, cleav·ing.
to part or split, especially along a natural line of division.
to penetrate or advance by or as if by cutting (usually followed by through).
Origin of cleave
2before 950; Middle English cleven, Old English clēofan, cognate with Old High German klioban (German klieben), Old Norse kljūfa; akin to Greek glýphein to carve, Latin glūbere to peel
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for cleave
cleave
1/ (kliːv) /
verb cleaves, cleaving, cleft, cleaved, clove, cleft, cleaved or cloven
to split or cause to split, esp along a natural weakness
(tr) to make by or as if by cuttingto cleave a path
(when intr, foll by through) to penetrate or traverse
Word Origin for cleave
Old English clēofan; related to Old Norse kljūfa, Old High German klioban, Latin glūbere to peel
verb
(intr foll by to) to cling or adhere
Word Origin for cleave
Old English cleofian; related to Old High German klebēn to stick
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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