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cleavers - 7 dictionary results

cleav⋅ers

[klee-verz]
–noun, plural -ers.
1. a North American plant, Galium aparine, of the madder family, having short, hooked bristles on the stems and leaves and bearing very small white flowers.
2. any of certain related species.
Also, clivers.
Also called catchweed, goose grass.


Origin:
bef. 1000; ME clivre, OE clife burdock (-re prob. by assoc. with ME clivres (pl.) claws, or with the agent n. from cleven to cleave 1 , whence the modern sp.)

cleav⋅er

[klee-ver]
–noun
1. a heavy, broad-bladed knife or long-bladed hatchet, esp. one used by butchers for cutting meat into joints or pieces.
2. a person or thing that cleaves.

Origin:
1325–75; ME clevere. See cleave 2 , -er 1
bed·straw   (běd'strô')   
n.  Any of several weedy or ornamental plants of the genus Galium, having whorled leaves, clusters of small white or yellow flowers, and prickly stems. Also called cleavers.

[Short for Our Lady's Bedstraw, name for a plant of the genus Galium, whose foliage was used to stuff mattresses in medieval times.]
cleav·er   (klē'vər)   
n.  
  1. A heavy, broad-bladed knife or hatchet used especially by butchers.
  2. Archaeology A bifacial core tool flaked to produce a straight sharp edge at one end.
cleav·ers   (klē'vərz)   
pl.n.   (used with a sing. or pl. verb)
See bedstraw.

[Middle English clivers, probably blend of clife, burdock (from Old English clīfe) and clivres, claws (from Old English clifras, pl. of clifer).]

Cleavers

Cleav"ers\, n. [From Cleave to stick.] (Bot.) A species of Galium (G. Aparine), having a fruit set with hooked bristles, which adhere to whatever they come in contact with; -- called also, goose grass, catchweed, etc.
cleaver   (klē'vər)  Pronunciation Key 
A bifacial stone tool flaked to produce a straight, sharp, relatively wide edge at one end. Cleavers are early core tools associated primarily with the Acheulian tool culture.
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