n. & v.
--n.
1. a long thin piece cut or split off.
2 a piece of wood torn from a tree or from timber.
3 a splinter, esp. from an exploded shell.
4 a strip of loose textile fibres after carding.
--v.tr. & intr.
1. break off as a sliver.
2 break up into slivers.
3 form into slivers.
Etymology: ME, rel. to slive cleave (now dial.) f. OE