~ 1
■ verb ( past clove or cleft or ~d ; past participle cloven or cleft or ~d )
1》 split or sever along a natural grain or line.
↘split (a molecule) by breaking a particular chemical bond.
↘ Biology (of a cell) divide.
2》 move through (something) forcefully: they watched a coot ~ the smooth water.
Derivatives
cleavable adjective
Origin
OE clēofan , of Gmc origin.
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~ 2
■ verb ( ~ to ) literary
1》 stick fast to.
2》 adhere strongly to or become very involved with: most schools ~ strongly to received policy.
Origin
OE cleofian , clifian , clīfan , of W. Gmc origin; related to clay and climb .