cleat /kliːt/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Origin: Probably from an unrecorded Old English cleat ]
1 . a small bar with two short arms around which ropes can be tied, especially on a ship
2 . [usually plural] a short piece of rubber, metal etc attached to the bottom of a sports shoe SYN stud
3 . cleats [plural] American English a pair of sports shoes with these pieces attached to them, in order to prevent someone from slipping ⇨ spikes