cleavers

American  

[klee-verz] / ˈkli vərz /

noun

plural

cleavers

1. a North American plant, Galium aparine, of the madder family, having short, hooked bristles on the stems and leaves and bearing very small white flowers.

2. any of certain related species.

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cleavers British  

/ ˈkliːvəz /

noun

1. Also called: goosegrass.   hairif.   sticky willie.  (functioning as singular) a Eurasian rubiaceous plant, Galium aparine, having small white flowers and prickly stems and fruits

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Etymology

Origin of cleavers

before 1000; Middle English clivre, Old English clife burdock ( -re probably by association with Middle English clivres (plural) claws, or with the agent noun from cleven to cleave ¹, whence the modern spelling)

Example Sentences

"Beryl was like a surprise attack, like an ambush," says Cornelius, in a deep baritone voice, over the market's chatter, reggae and thwack of cleavers on chopping boards.

From BBC • Dec. 29, 2024

The loud thwack! of cleavers cutting cleanly, hitting wooden boards soaked in meat juices punctuates the usually jovial atmosphere.

From Washington Post • Dec. 23, 2021

But the winter season was just underway, and the 24-year-old with hands the size of meat cleavers and a lot to prove was undeterred.

From National Geographic • Feb. 2, 2021

A tall, sleek, metal-and-glass table, like something from a science lab or hospital operating room, is festooned with eight meat cleavers suspended on elegant chains, four dangling from either side.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 30, 2019

By the time I arrived, I had enough anger to fend off a thousand flying cleavers.

From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan