Cleave
verb
To split or divide something, especially along a natural line or flat surface.
The axe cleaved the wood into two parts.
Often appears as...
- cleave something in two
- cleave through
verb
To strongly attach oneself emotionally to something or someone.
She cleaved to her principles in spite of everything.
Often appears as...
- cleave to the faith
- cleave to principles
verb
In biochemistry, to break down a compound into smaller parts.
The enzyme is used to cleave the protein into smaller fragments.
Often appears as...
- cleave dna
- cleave protein
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
verb
To split or divide something, especially along a natural line or flat surface.
The axe cleaved the wood into two parts.
Often appears as...
- cleave something in two
- cleave through
verb
To strongly attach oneself emotionally to something or someone.
She cleaved to her principles in spite of everything.
Often appears as...
- cleave to the faith
- cleave to principles
verb
In biochemistry, to break down a compound into smaller parts.
The enzyme is used to cleave the protein into smaller fragments.
Often appears as...
- cleave dna
- cleave protein
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Physical Action
Cleave as a verb usually describes a forceful, physical splitting action.
He used a sword to cleave the shield in half.
Pro Tip 2/3Natural Line
When cleaving, the split often follows a natural or existing line or grain, like with wood or meat.
The butcher cleaved along the joint of the meat.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Peaceful
Cleaving something can be violent or require great effort, not gentle or peaceful.
During the rescue, firefighters had to cleave the door apart.
Pro Tip 1/3Physical Action
Cleave as a verb usually describes a forceful, physical splitting action.
He used a sword to cleave the shield in half.
Pro Tip 2/3Natural Line
When cleaving, the split often follows a natural or existing line or grain, like with wood or meat.
The butcher cleaved along the joint of the meat.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Peaceful
Cleaving something can be violent or require great effort, not gentle or peaceful.
During the rescue, firefighters had to cleave the door apart.
Pro Tip 1/3Physical Action
Cleave as a verb usually describes a forceful, physical splitting action.
He used a sword to cleave the shield in half.
Pro Tip 2/3Natural Line
When cleaving, the split often follows a natural or existing line or grain, like with wood or meat.
The butcher cleaved along the joint of the meat.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Peaceful
Cleaving something can be violent or require great effort, not gentle or peaceful.
During the rescue, firefighters had to cleave the door apart.
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Video examples
How augmented reality...
where this technology was used to support the provision of cleft lip and palate surgery to children, children from poor backgrounds who didn't have access to health insurance. And in this town, there was a hospital with one surgeon working hard to provide this care, Dr. Soraya. Now, Dr. Soraya was struggling under the sheer demand
Video examples
Introducing a New Baby...
get into your question now but it looks like it's mass there's a split you see that between its trunk and its mouth almost like it's got a cleft palate that's really interesting I've never seen that in my life before it's not its mouth its mouth is lowered down by the looks of things and just now there was a
Video examples
Robert Thurman:...
And where it's landing to bring the twigs to the cliff, its feathers brushes the rock -- and it had cut the rock six to eight inches in. There was a cleft in the rock by the brushing of the feathers of generations of the birds. So he said, "All right. I get the point." He went back.
Video examples
Michael Merzenich:...
Now I might say the noise problem could also occur on the basis of information provided in the world from the ears. If any -- those of you who are older in the audience know that when I was a child we understood that a child born with a cleft palate
Video examples
How One Brilliant Woman...
story her profiles reveal the existence of complex geography of crevices metallic but perhaps most startling was the emergence of a long v-shaped cleft that ran through each of her profiles these so-called risk valleys offered support
Video examples
Folding way-new origami...
gone in the modern world naturalism detail you can get horns antlers even if you look close cloven hooves and it raises a question what changed what and what changed is something you might not have expected in an art which is math
Video examples
The math and magic of...
This, too, is origami, and this shows where we've gone in the modern world. Naturalism. Detail. You can get horns, antlers -- even, if you look close, cloven hooves. And it raises a what changed?
Video examples
The Unconquered:...
perfectly round ceramic bowl in another place we came upon this tapir jaw left in the cleft of a tree a kind of totem perhaps we weren't sure but these are the signs that make up the lifeblood of
Video examples
Mena Trott: How blogs...
to offer plastic surgery to those who need it. Children with cleft palates get it, and they document their story. This is wonderful. I am not that caring. I talk about myself.
Video examples
Dillie the Deer: Love on...
with fur big ears and cloven hooves love comes in the door in many ways quite unexpectedly love came into our life late one chris june evening in the most improbable
Video examples
How augmented reality...
where this technology was used to support the provision of cleft lip and palate surgery to children, children from poor backgrounds who didn't have access to health insurance. And in this town, there was a hospital with one surgeon working hard to provide this care, Dr. Soraya. Now, Dr. Soraya was struggling under the sheer demand
Video examples
Introducing a New Baby...
get into your question now but it looks like it's mass there's a split you see that between its trunk and its mouth almost like it's got a cleft palate that's really interesting I've never seen that in my life before it's not its mouth its mouth is lowered down by the looks of things and just now there was a
Video examples
Robert Thurman:...
And where it's landing to bring the twigs to the cliff, its feathers brushes the rock -- and it had cut the rock six to eight inches in. There was a cleft in the rock by the brushing of the feathers of generations of the birds. So he said, "All right. I get the point." He went back.
Video examples
Michael Merzenich:...
Now I might say the noise problem could also occur on the basis of information provided in the world from the ears. If any -- those of you who are older in the audience know that when I was a child we understood that a child born with a cleft palate
Video examples
How One Brilliant Woman...
story her profiles reveal the existence of complex geography of crevices metallic but perhaps most startling was the emergence of a long v-shaped cleft that ran through each of her profiles these so-called risk valleys offered support
Video examples
Folding way-new origami...
gone in the modern world naturalism detail you can get horns antlers even if you look close cloven hooves and it raises a question what changed what and what changed is something you might not have expected in an art which is math
Video examples
The math and magic of...
This, too, is origami, and this shows where we've gone in the modern world. Naturalism. Detail. You can get horns, antlers -- even, if you look close, cloven hooves. And it raises a what changed?
Video examples
The Unconquered:...
perfectly round ceramic bowl in another place we came upon this tapir jaw left in the cleft of a tree a kind of totem perhaps we weren't sure but these are the signs that make up the lifeblood of
Video examples
Mena Trott: How blogs...
to offer plastic surgery to those who need it. Children with cleft palates get it, and they document their story. This is wonderful. I am not that caring. I talk about myself.
Video examples
Dillie the Deer: Love on...
with fur big ears and cloven hooves love comes in the door in many ways quite unexpectedly love came into our life late one chris june evening in the most improbable
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
John Seabrook
American Journalist
Like Honeycrisp, SweeTango has much larger cells than other apples, and when you bite into it, the cells shatter rather than cleaving along the cell walls, as is the case with most popular apples. The bursting of the cells fills your mouth with juice. Chunks of SweeTango snap off in your mouth with a loud cracking sound.
Quote examples
Bill Buford
American Author
When I was at Babbo, I was covered in scars and scabs and burned bits - melted hair, ribbed burns I got reaching across the top of a hot skillet... I sliced off the tip of my finger. I cleaved my forehead - a deep, ugly wound. Luckily, it regenerated.
Quote examples
Alice Dreger
American Scientist
Using medicine in the service of cosmesis is generally bad for patients, bad for doctors, and bad for democracy. The only exceptions are when we know the intervention will actually reduce suffering, as with a primary cleft lip repair.
Quote examples
Lydia Millet
American Novelist
I have a king bed, one of those memory-foam mattresses that doesn't jiggle as you get in or out. Even if you cleaved it down the middle with a pickax, the thing wouldn't tremble. It's practically earthquake-proof.
Quote examples
George Saunders
American Writer
I tend to foster drama via bleakness. If I want the reader to feel sympathy for a character, I cleave the character in half, on his birthday. And then it starts raining. And he's made of sugar.
Quote examples
Mike Pence
American Vice President
Several millennia ago, the words were written that a man should leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. It was not our idea; it was God's idea.
Quote examples
Confucius
Chinese Philosopher
The superior man does not, even for the space of a single meal, act contrary to virtue. In moments of haste, he cleaves to it. In seasons of danger, he cleaves to it.
Quote examples
George Eliot
British Author
I'm proof against that word failure. I've seen behind it. The only failure a man ought to fear is failure of cleaving to the purpose he sees to be best.
Quote examples
Anne Lamott
American Author
For me, Jesus is my cleft in the rock. He is my safest friend, my safe totally loving accepting big brother.
Quote examples
Diane Lane
American Actress
Self-respect is a commodity worth cleaving to.
Quote examples
John Seabrook
American Journalist
Like Honeycrisp, SweeTango has much larger cells than other apples, and when you bite into it, the cells shatter rather than cleaving along the cell walls, as is the case with most popular apples. The bursting of the cells fills your mouth with juice. Chunks of SweeTango snap off in your mouth with a loud cracking sound.
Quote examples
Bill Buford
American Author
When I was at Babbo, I was covered in scars and scabs and burned bits - melted hair, ribbed burns I got reaching across the top of a hot skillet... I sliced off the tip of my finger. I cleaved my forehead - a deep, ugly wound. Luckily, it regenerated.
Quote examples
Alice Dreger
American Scientist
Using medicine in the service of cosmesis is generally bad for patients, bad for doctors, and bad for democracy. The only exceptions are when we know the intervention will actually reduce suffering, as with a primary cleft lip repair.
Quote examples
Lydia Millet
American Novelist
I have a king bed, one of those memory-foam mattresses that doesn't jiggle as you get in or out. Even if you cleaved it down the middle with a pickax, the thing wouldn't tremble. It's practically earthquake-proof.
Quote examples
George Saunders
American Writer
I tend to foster drama via bleakness. If I want the reader to feel sympathy for a character, I cleave the character in half, on his birthday. And then it starts raining. And he's made of sugar.
Quote examples
Mike Pence
American Vice President
Several millennia ago, the words were written that a man should leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. It was not our idea; it was God's idea.
Quote examples
Confucius
Chinese Philosopher
The superior man does not, even for the space of a single meal, act contrary to virtue. In moments of haste, he cleaves to it. In seasons of danger, he cleaves to it.
Quote examples
George Eliot
British Author
I'm proof against that word failure. I've seen behind it. The only failure a man ought to fear is failure of cleaving to the purpose he sees to be best.
Quote examples
Anne Lamott
American Author
For me, Jesus is my cleft in the rock. He is my safest friend, my safe totally loving accepting big brother.
Quote examples
Diane Lane
American Actress
Self-respect is a commodity worth cleaving to.
Example 1 of 10
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