cleaver

n. a large, heavy knife with a wide, square blade used for cutting through meat and bone.

n. a heavy, broad-bladed knife designed for hacking through bone and gristle in butchery.

“The chef used a heavy cleaver to chop the ribs into smaller pieces.”

“The butcher swung the cleaver with practiced precision, severing the joint cleanly without splintering the surrounding bone.”

n. a type of rowing oar with a large, square blade that looks like a butcher's knife.

n. an oar blade with an asymmetrical, rectangular shape designed to maximize surface area in the water.

“The rowing team switched to cleaver blades to get more power in their stroke.”

“Modern competitive rowers almost exclusively use the cleaver design due to its superior hydrodynamics compared to traditional macon blades.”

Technical

n. a rhythm stick used as a musical instrument in Bahamian music.

n. a type of clave or concussive rhythm stick utilized specifically in traditional Bahamian musical genres.

“The musician kept the beat by striking the cleaver against a piece of metal.”

“In traditional Bahamian Goombay music, the rhythmic foundation is often provided by the steady pulse of the cleaver.”

Dialect

n. the act of getting rid of someone or something, like firing a worker.

n. the figurative act of eliminating, dismissing, or rejecting someone, often implying a sudden or harsh removal.

“After the company lost money, several managers faced the cleaver.”

“The new CEO is known for using the cleaver on underperforming departments within weeks of taking charge.”

Informal