/ kliːv; NAmE / verb ( cleaved , cleaved
HELP NOTE : Less commonly, cleft / kleft / and clove / kləʊv / / kloʊv / are used for the past tense, and cleft and cloven / ˈkləʊvn / / ˈkloʊv- / for the past participle.
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1.
[ vn ] ( old-fashioned or literary ) to split or cut sth in two using sth sharp and heavy :
She cleaved his skull (in two) with an axe.
( figurative )
His skin was cleft with deep lines.
2.
cleave (through) sth ( old-fashioned or literary ) to move quickly through sth :
[ v ]
a ship cleaving through the water
[ vn ]
The huge boat cleaved the darkness.
3.
cleave to sb/sth [ v ] ( literary ) to stick close to sth/sb :
Her tongue clove to the roof of her mouth.
4.
( cleaved , cleaved ) [ v ] ( formal ) to continue to believe in or be loyal to sth :
to cleave to a belief / idea
•
IDIOMS
see cleft
••
WORD ORIGIN
senses 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 .