cleave

cleave
{{11}}cleave (1) "to split," O.E. cleofan "to split, separate" (class II strong verb, past tense cleaf, past participle clofen), from P.Gmc. *kleubanan (Cf. O.S. klioban, O.N. kljufa, Dan. klöve, Du. kloven, O.H.G. klioban, Ger. klieben "to cleave, split"), from PIE root *gleubh- "to cut, slice" (see GLYPH (Cf. glyph)). Past tense form clave is recorded in Northern writers from 14c. and was used with both verbs (see CLEAVE (Cf. cleave) (2)), apparently by analogy with other Middle English strong verbs. Clave was common to c.1600 and still alive at the time of the KJV; weak past tense cleaved for this verb also emerged in 14c.; cleft is still later. The pp. cloven survives, though mostly in compounds.
{{12}}cleave (2) "to adhere," O.E. clifian, from W.Gmc. *klibajanan (Cf. O.S. klibon, O.H.G. kliban, Du. kleven, O.H.G. kleben, Ger. kleben "to stick, cling"), from PIE *gloi- "to stick" (see CLAY (Cf. clay)). The confusion was less in O.E. when cleave (1) was a class 2 strong verb; but it has grown since cleave (1) weakened, which may be why both are largely superseded by stick and split.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Cleave — (kl[=e]v), v. i. [imp. {Cleaved} (kl[=e]vd), {Clave} (kl[=a]v, Obs.); p. p. {Cleaved}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Cleaving}.] [OE. cleovien, clivien, cliven, AS. cleofian, clifian; akin to OS. klib[=o]n, G. kleben, LG. kliven, D. kleven, Dan. kl[ae]be, Sw …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • cleave — [kli:v] v past tense cleaved , clove [kləuv US klouv] , or cleft [kleft] past participle cleaved , past tense cloven [ˈkləuvən US ˈklou ] or cleft [: Old English; Origin: cleofan. cleave to Old English clifian] …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • Cleave — Cleave, v. i. To part; to open; to crack; to separate; as parts of bodies; as, the ground cleaves by frost. [1913 Webster] The Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst. Zech. xiv. 4. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • cleave — cleave·land·ite; un·cleave; cleave; …   English syllables

  • cleave — Ⅰ. cleave [1] ► VERB (past clove or cleft or cleaved; past part. cloven or cleft or cleaved) 1) split or sever along a natural grain or line. 2) divide; split …   English terms dictionary

  • Cleave — (kl[=e]v), v. t. [imp. {Cleft} (kl[e^]ft), {Clave} (kl[=a]v, Obs.), {Clove} (kl[=o]v, Obsolescent); p. p. {Cleft}, {Cleaved} (kl[=e]vd) or {Cloven} (kl[=o] v n); p. pr. & vb. n. {Cleaving}.] [OE. cleoven, cleven, AS. cle[ o]fan; akin to OS.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • cleave — [ kliv ] verb transitive LITERARY to cut or break something into two parts with a lot of force cleave ,to phrasal verb transitive 1. ) to stay very close to someone, or to stay close together a ) to stick firmly to something 2. ) to keep… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • cleave — cling, *stick, adhere, cohere Analogous words: *fasten, attach, fix, affix: unite, *join, associate, link, combine, conjoin Antonyms: part Contrasted words: *separate, divorce, divide, sever, sunder: *detach …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • cleave — [v1] divide, split carve, chop, crack, cut, dissect, dissever, disunite, divorce, hack, hew, open, part, pierce, rend, rip, rive, separate, sever, slice, stab, sunder, tear asunder, whack; concepts 98,137,176 Ant. join, meld, unite cleave [v2]… …   New thesaurus

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