cleave

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /kliv/ UK /kliːv/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to split or sever, or alternatively to cling closely

With one blow the axe cleaved the log in two.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to split or sever, or... split sever divide cling adhere stick rend

Opposites

join unite fuse

Word family

Derived forms cleaver cleavage

Related forms cleftclovenclove

Two homographs converged: 'to split' is from Old English clēofan (Proto-Germanic *kleubaną, PIE *gleubh- 'to cut'); 'to cling' is from Old English clifian/cleofian (Proto-Germanic *klibōną, PIE *gleybh- 'to stick').

clēofan Old English *gleubh- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

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# cleave

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /kliv/
**IPA (UK):** /kliːv/

## Meanings
1. to split or sever, or alternatively to cling closely

## Examples
- With one blow the axe cleaved the log in two.

## Synonyms
- split
- sever
- divide
- cling
- adhere
- stick
- rend

## Antonyms
- join
- unite
- fuse

## Derived Forms
- cleaver
- cleavage

## Related Forms
- cleft
- cloven
- clove

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: clēofan
- Root: *gleubh-

## Etymology
Two homographs converged: 'to split' is from Old English clēofan (Proto-Germanic *kleubaną, PIE *gleubh- 'to cut'); 'to cling' is from Old English clifian/cleofian (Proto-Germanic *klibōną, PIE *gleybh- 'to stick').

## AI Etymology
Cleave reflects two converged homographs: 'to split' is from Old English clēofan (Proto-Germanic *kleubaną, PIE *gleubh- 'to cut'); 'to cling' is from Old English clifian/cleofian (Proto-Germanic *klibōną, PIE *gleybh- 'to stick'). The historical trail runs through Old English clēofan and Proto-Indo-European *gleubh-. In modern use it means to split or sever, or alternatively to cling closely. Derived formations include cleaver, cleavage; related forms include cleft, cloven, clove.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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cleave

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