cleave

¹

[ kleev ]

verb (used without object)

, cleaved or (Archaic) clave; cleaved; cleav·ing.

1. to adhere closely; stick; cling (usually followed by to ).
2. to remain faithful (usually followed by to ):

   to cleave to one's principles in spite of persecution.

cleave

²

[ kleev ]

verb (used with object)

, cleft or cleaved or clove, cleft or cleaved or clo·ven, cleav·ing.

1. to split or divide by or as if by a cutting blow, especially along a natural line of division, as the grain of wood.

   Synonyms: rive, rend, halve

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.

4. 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.

1. to part or split, especially along a natural line of division.
2. to penetrate or advance by or as if by cutting (usually followed by through ).

cleave

¹

/ kliːv /

verb

1. to split or cause to split, esp along a natural weakness
2. tr to make by or as if by cutting

   to cleave a path

3. whenintr, foll by through to penetrate or traverse

cleave

²

/ kliːv /

verb

1. intrfoll byto to cling or adhere

Derived Forms

• ˈcleavable, adjective
• ˌcleavaˈbility, noun

Other Words From

• cleav·ing·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of cleave¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English cleven, Old English cleofian, clifian, cognate with Old High German klebēn, German kleben

Origin of cleave²

First recorded before 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”

Word History and Origins

Origin of cleave¹

Old English clēofan; related to Old Norse kljūfa, Old High German klioban, Latin glūbere to peel

Origin of cleave²

Old English cleofian; related to Old High German klebēn to stick

Example Sentences

Originally, he said, the policy was set to address both — but the latter turned out to be more legally complicated, and Luna eventually decided to cleave that off into a separate policy that is still in the works.

From Los Angeles Times

For now, voters need to consider the question: In a period of post-pandemic school chaos, is it best to cleave to the status quo, or is it time for upheaval?

From Seattle Times

Ever since the government cleared the merger of concert promoter Live Nation and ticketseller Ticketmaster in 2010, there have been demands from consumer advocates to cleave them.

From Los Angeles Times

Unlike the United States, where fights over what values schools teach cleave along partisan lines, support for laïcité is almost universal in France’s political establishment, though some on the right criticize it as anti-religion and on the left as a vestige of colonialism.

From Seattle Times

The research team narrowed down the possible target structures and turned their attention to cathepsins, which can process proteins, i.e. cleave them.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• hew
• sunder