/klee"veuhrz/ , n. , pl. cleavers .
1. a North American plant, Galium aparine, of the madder family, having short, hooked bristles on the stems and leaves and bearing very small white flowers.
2. any of certain related species.
Also, clivers . Also called catchweed, goose grass .
[ bef. 1000; ME clivre, OE clife burdock ( -re prob. by assoc. with ME clivres (pl.) claws, or with the agent n. from cleven to CLEAVE 1 , whence the modern sp.) ]