Word
cleave
Phoneticscleave
US/ˈkɫiv/
UK/klˈiːv/
Definition
v. to split something apart with a sharp tool, or to stick very closely to something. It is a strange word because it has two opposite meanings: to separate or to stay together.
v. to split or sever something, typically along a natural grain or line; alternatively, to adhere firmly and loyally to a person or belief. The two senses are auto-antonyms, derived from two distinct Old English verbs.
Examples
“The woodcutter used a heavy axe to cleave the large log.”
“Despite the pressure from his peers to change his mind, he continued to cleave to his original principles.”
“The sharp prow of the ship seemed to cleave the glassy surface of the water, leaving a foaming white wake that stretched toward the horizon.”
Examples
simple
“The woodcutter used a heavy axe to cleave the large log.”
contextual
“Despite the pressure from his peers to change his mind, he continued to cleave to his original principles.”
complex
“The sharp prow of the ship seemed to cleave the glassy surface of the water, leaving a foaming white wake that stretched toward the horizon.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “cleave” in context.
Verb
01. cleave asunder
“The lightning strike caused the ancient oak tree to cleave asunder.”
verb + adv
02. cleave skull
“The warrior's blow was strong enough to cleave a skull in two.”
verb + noun
03. cleave through
“The ship's prow began to cleave through the icy waters of the fjord.”
verb + prep
04. cleave to
“The children cleave to their mother whenever a stranger enters the room.”
verb + prep
05. cleave wood
“He used a heavy axe to cleave wood for the winter fire.”
verb + noun
06. cleave a path through
“The explorers managed to cleave a path through the dense jungle undergrowth.”
07. cleave to a belief
“Despite the evidence, they continue to cleave to their traditional beliefs.”
08. cleave to the line
“Party members are expected to cleave to the official party line on this issue.”
Usage
The 'split' sense is transitive; the 'adhere' sense is intransitive and requires the preposition 'to'.
Pitfall
He cleaved the wood into two
He clove the wood into two
While 'cleaved' is increasingly common, the traditional past tense for the 'split' sense is 'clove' or 'cleft', whereas 'cleaved' is preferred for the 'adhere' sense.
Real-World Examples
“In cleaving, a tree trunk is split lengthwise into halves, then quarters, and sometimes eighths or sixteenths, depending on the diameter of the log and the intended use of the wood.” Etymology
From Middle English cleven, from Old English clēofan, a strong verb meaning "to split, to separate". The Old English descends from Proto-West Germanic kleuban and Proto-Germanic kleubaną, both carrying the same sense of cleaving or dividing.
The root reaches back to Proto-Indo-European glewbʰ-, "to cut, to slice". Surviving relatives include Dutch klieven, dialectal German klieben, Swedish klyva, Norwegian Nynorsk kløyva, and — more distantly — Ancient Greek γλύφω (glúphō), "to carve". The word has a doublet in clive.
From Middle English cleven, a conflation of two Old English verbs: clifian, from Proto-West Germanic klibēn and Proto-Germanic klibāną, and clīfan, from Proto-West Germanic klīban and Proto-Germanic klībaną. Both share a root in Proto-Indo-European gleybʰ-, "to stick". Cognate with Dutch kleven and German kleben*.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
VERB
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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