cleaver

[ klee-ver ]

noun

1. a heavy, broad-bladed knife or long-bladed hatchet, especially one used by butchers for cutting meat into joints or pieces.
2. a person or thing that cleaves. cleave.

cleaver

/ ˈkliːvə /

noun

1. a heavy knife or long-bladed hatchet, esp one used by butchers

cleaver

/ klē′vər /

1. A bifacial stone tool flaked to produce a straight, sharp, relatively wide edge at one end. Cleavers are early core tools associated primarily with the Acheulian tool culture.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cleaver¹

First recorded in 1325–75, cleaver is from the Middle English word clevere. See cleave ², -er ¹

Example Sentences

"As well as being extremely funny, it's very, very sad," said the actor, who will reprise his role as the dashing antagonist Daniel Cleaver.

From BBC

In 2001, the first film adaptation starring American actress Zellweger, with Grant as Daniel Cleaver and Colin Firth as Mark Darcy, was released.

From BBC

It’s a form of protest first popularized by early 20th century suffragettes — in 1914, Mary Richardson used a meat cleaver to slash Velázquez’s “Rokeby Venus” in London’s National Gallery — only to fall out of fashion shortly thereafter.

From Los Angeles Times

A dad said he was convinced he was going to die after his father-in-law hit him on the back of the head with a meat cleaver while he was eating his dinner.

From BBC

"I turned around and I saw him, and he was holding a meat cleaver," he told BBC Essex.

From BBC