[cleave] vi cleaved or clove also clave ; cleaved ; cleav.ing [ME clevien, fr. OE clifian; akin to OHG kleben to stick] (bef. 12c): to adhere firmly and closely or loyally and unwaveringly syn see stick
[2]cleave vb cleaved also cleft or clove ; cleaved also cleft or clo.ven ; cleav.ing [ME cleven, fr. OE cleofan; akin to ON kljufa to split, L glubere to peel, Gk glyphein to carve] vt (bef. 12c) 1: to divide by or as if by a cutting blow: split
2: to separate into distinct parts and esp. into groups having divergent views
3: to subject to chemical cleavage "a protein cleaved by an enzyme" ~ vi 1: to split esp. along the grain
2: to penetrate or pass through something by or as if by cutting syn see tear