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1. Dictionary

   cleave

   /kliːv/

   verb

   • 1. split or sever (something), especially along a natural line or grain: "the large axe his father used to cleave wood for the fire" Similar splitsplit opencrack openlay opendivideseversplintercut (up)hewhackchop upslice uphalvebisectquarterliterary:rendarchaic:sunderrive
   • ▪ split (a molecule) by breaking a particular chemical bond.
   • ▪ (of a cell) divide: "the egg cleaves to form a mulberry-shaped cluster of cells"
   • ▪ make a way through (something) forcefully, as if by splitting it apart: "they watched a coot cleave the smooth water" Similar ploughdrivebulldozecutcarvemake

   Word Origin Old Englishclēofan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch klieven and German klieben.

   Derivatives

   • 1. cleavable adjective

   Scrabble Points: 11

   • C

     3

   • L

     1

   • E

     1

   • A

     1

   • V

     4

   • E

     1

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