# cleaver

/ˈkɫivɝ/ (US) · /klˈiːvɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cleaver
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. butcher's knife

noun · CEFR B2

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

For teachers: 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.

### 2. rowing oar

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

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

For teachers: 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.

### 3. musical instrument

noun · CEFR C2 · Dialect

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

For teachers: 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.

### 4. dismissal or removal

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

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

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- The chef uses a sharp cleaver to chop the ribs.
- A heavy cleaver is essential in traditional butchery for splitting carcasses and preparing large cuts of meat for sale.
- The butcher expertly swung the heavy cleaver, demonstrating the precision required to divide the bone without creating excessive shards or damaging the surrounding muscle tissue.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.