cleave (v.1)
: to split or divide by force
"The lumberjack cleaved the log with a single stroke"
From Old English cleofan, cleven, cliven "to split, separate". Past tense clave recorded from the 14c., weak past tense cleaved emerged later; past participle cloven survives in compounds
Related: cleaved, cloven, cleft
Tags: verb
cleave (v.2)
: to adhere or cling
"The child cleaved to her mother in fear"
From Old English clifian, cleofian "to stick fast, adhere," also figurative. Both verbs of cleave are now largely superseded by stick and split
Related: cleaved, cleaving
Tags: verb
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