The cleave with meanings relating to splitting and dividing comes from a different Old English word, clēofan, meaning “to split.” So although one might assume the two were once cleaved to one another …

cleave 1 (kliv) v.i. cleaved (Archaic) clave; cleaved; cleav•ing. 1. to adhere closely; cling (usu. fol. by to). 2. to remain faithful: to cleave to one's principles.

CLEAVE definition: 1. to separate or divide, or cause something to separate or divide, often violently: 2. to…. Learn more.

CLEAVE definition: to adhere closely; stick; cling (usually followed byto ). See examples of cleave used in a sentence.

Cleave can refer to being in close contact, to staying really, really close to someone or something: "If you are walking in the pitch-black woods without a flashlight, you want to cleave to the person in front …

Definition of cleave verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

to (cause to) split or divide by or as if by a cutting blow: [no object] The wood cleaved in two clean pieces. [~ + object] He cleaved the wood in two neat pieces.

Jan 20, 2026 · Verb cleave (third-person singular simple present cleaves, present participle cleaving, simple past and past participle cleaved) (intransitive, rare) Followed by to or unto: to adhere, cling, or …

To cleave something means to split or divide it into two separate parts, often violently. They just cleave the stone along the cracks. [VERB noun] If someone cleaves to something or to someone else, they …

Information and translations of cleaved in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web.