cleave
verb /kliːv/
/kliːv/
Verb Forms
Idioms | present simple I / you / we / they cleave | /kliːv/ /kliːv/ |
| he / she / it cleaves | /kliːvz/ /kliːvz/ |
| past simple cleaved | /kliːvd/ /kliːvd/ |
| past participle cleaved | /kliːvd/ /kliːvd/ |
| -ing form cleaving | /ˈkliːvɪŋ/ /ˈkliːvɪŋ/ |
- [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.
- [intransitive, transitive] (old-fashioned or literary) to move quickly through something
- cleave through something a ship cleaving through the water
- cleave something The huge boat cleaved the darkness.
- to cleave a path through the traffic
- [intransitive] cleave to something/somebody (literary) to stick close to something/somebody
- Her tongue clove to the roof of her mouth.
- [intransitive] cleave to something (formal) to continue to believe in or support something
- to cleave to a belief/idea
Word Originsenses 1 to 2 Old English clēofan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch klieven and German klieben.senses 3 to 4 Old English cleofian, clifian, clīfan, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch kleven and German kleben, also to climb.
Idioms
be (caught) in a cleft stick
- to be in a difficult situation when any action you take will have bad results