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- Dictionarycleave/kliːv/
verb
- 1. split or sever (something), especially along a natural line or grain: "the large axe his father used to cleave wood for the fire" Similar
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The meaning of CLEAVE is to adhere firmly and closely or loyally and unwaveringly. How to use cleave in a sentence. Did you know? Synonym Discussion of Cleave.
CLEAVE definition: 1. to separate or divide, or cause something to separate or divide, often violently: 2. to…. Learn more.
Cleave, a verb, has two very different meanings. It can describe cutting or splitting something apart with a sharp instrument, or — oddly enough — it can describe sticking to something like glue. To cleave or not to cleave, that is the question.
Cleave definition: to adhere closely; stick; cling (usually followed by to).. See examples of CLEAVE used in a sentence.
CLEAVE meaning: 1. to separate or divide, or cause something to separate or divide, often violently: 2. to…. Learn more.
To cleave something means to split or divide it into two separate parts, often violently.
1. to split or divide by or as if by a cutting blow, esp. along a natural line of division, as the grain of wood. 2. to make by or as if by cutting: to cleave a path through the wilderness. 3. to penetrate or pass through (air, water, etc.): The bow of the boat cleaved the water cleanly.
[transitive] cleave something (old-fashioned or literary) to split or cut something in two using something sharp and heavy. She cleaved his skull (in two) with an axe. (figurative) His skin was cleft with deep lines. Want to learn more?
1. To cleave something means to split or divide it into two separate parts, often violently. [literary] [...] 2. If someone cleaves to something or to someone else, they begin or continue to have strong feelings of loyalty toward them. [formal] [...] More. Pronunciations of 'cleave' American English: kliv British English: kliːv. More.
From Middle English cleven, from the Old English strong verb clēofan, from Proto-Germanic *kleubaną, from Proto-Indo-European *glewbʰ- (“to cut, to slice”). Cognate with Dutch klieven, dialectal German klieben, Swedish klyva, and Greek γλύφω (glýfo, “carve”).
