cleave 1
— cleavingly , adv.
/kleev/ , v.i. , cleaved or ( Archaic ) clave; cleaved; cleaving .
1. to adhere closely; stick; cling (usually fol. by to ).
2. to remain faithful (usually fol. by to ): to cleave to one's principles in spite of persecution.
[ bef. 900; ME cleven, OE cleofian, c. OHG kleben (G kleben ) ]
cleave 2
/kleev/ , v. , cleft or cleaved or clove, cleft or cleaved or cloven, cleaving .
v.t.
1. to split or divide by or as if by a cutting blow, esp. along a natural line of division, as the grain of wood.
2. to make by or as if by cutting: to cleave a path through the wilderness.
3. to penetrate or pass through (air, water, etc.): The bow of the boat cleaved the water cleanly.
4. to cut off; sever: to cleave a branch from a tree.
v.i.
5. to part or split, esp. along a natural line of division.
6. to penetrate or advance by or as if by cutting (usually fol. by through ).
[ bef. 950; ME cleven, OE cleofan, c. OHG klioban (G klieben ), ON kljufa; akin to Gk glýphein to carve, L glubere to peel ]
Syn. 1. halve, rend, rive.