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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Cleave \Cleave\ (kl[=e]v), v. t. [imp. {Cleft} (kl[e^]ft),
{Clave} (kl[=a]v, Obs.), {Clove} (kl[=o]v, Obsolescent); p.
p. {Cleft}, {Cleaved} (kl[=e]vd) or {Cloven} (kl[=o]"v'n); p.
pr. & vb. n. {Cleaving}.] [OE. cleoven, cleven, AS.
cle['o]fan; akin to OS. klioban, D. klooven, G. klieben,
Icel. klj[=u]fa, Sw. klyfva, Dan. kl["o]ve and prob. to Gr.
gly`fein to carve, L. glubere to peel. Cf. {Cleft}.]
1. To part or divide by force; to split or rive; to cut.
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O Hamlet, thou hast cleft my heart in twain. --Shak.
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2. To part or open naturally; to divide.
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Every beast that parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the
cleft into two claws. --Deut. xiv.
6.
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Cleft \Cleft\ (kl[e^]ft),
imp. & p. p. from {Cleave}.
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Cleft \Cleft\, a.
1. Divided; split; partly divided or split.
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2. (Bot.) Incised nearly to the midrib; as, a cleft leaf.
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Cleft \Cleft\, n. [OE. clift; cf. Sw. klyft cave, den, Icel.
kluft cleft, Dan. kl["o]ft, G. kluft. See {Cleave} to split
and cf. 2d {Clift}, 1st {Clough}.]
1. A space or opening made by splitting; a crack; a crevice;
as, the cleft of a rock. --Is. ii. 21.
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2. A piece made by splitting; as, a cleft of wood.
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3. (Far.) A disease in horses; a crack on the band of the
pastern.
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{Branchial clefts}. See under {Branchial}.

Syn: Crack; crevice; fissure; chink; cranny.
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