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cloven

 - 8 dictionary results

clo⋅ven

  [kloh-vuhn]
Use cloven in a Sentence
–verb
1. a pp. of cleave 2
–adjective
2. cleft; split; divided: Goats have cloven hoofs.

cleave

1  [kleev]
–verb (used without object), cleaved or (Archaic) clave; cleaved; cleav⋅ing.
1. to adhere closely; stick; cling (usually fol. by to).
2. to remain faithful (usually fol. by to): to cleave to one's principles in spite of persecution.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME cleven, OE cleofian, c. OHG klebēn (G kleben)

Related forms:
cleav⋅ing⋅ly, adverb

cleave

2  [kleev] verb, cleft or cleaved or clove, cleft or cleaved or clo⋅ven, cleav⋅ing.
–verb (used with object)
1. to split or divide by or as if by a cutting blow, esp. along a natural line of division, as the grain of wood.
2. to make by or as if by cutting: to cleave a path through the wilderness.
3. to penetrate or pass through (air, water, etc.): The bow of the boat cleaved the water cleanly.
4. to cut off; sever: to cleave a branch from a tree.
–verb (used without object)
5. to part or split, esp. along a natural line of division.
6. to penetrate or advance by or as if by cutting (usually fol. by through).
Origin:
bef. 950; ME cleven, OE clēofan, c. OHG klioban (G klieben), ON kljūfa; akin to Gk glýphein to carve, L glūbere to peel

Synonyms:
1. halve, rend, rive.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To cloven
cleave 1   (klēv)   
v.   cleft (klěft) or cleaved or clove (klōv), cleft or cleaved or clo·ven (klō'vən), cleav·ing, cleaves

v.   tr.

  1. To split with or as if with a sharp instrument. See Synonyms at tear1.

  2. To make or accomplish by or as if by cutting: cleave a path through the ice.

  3. To pierce or penetrate: The wings cleaved the foggy air.

  4. Chemistry To split (a complex molecule) into simpler molecules.

v.   intr.

  1. Mineralogy To split or separate, especially along a natural line of division.

  2. To penetrate or pass through something, such as water or air.


[Middle English cleven, from Old English clēofan; see gleubh- in Indo-European roots.]
cleav'a·ble adj.
clo·ven   (klō'vən)   
v.  A past participle of cleave1.
adj.  Split; divided.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

cleave  (2)
"to adhere," O.E. clifian, from W.Gmc. *klibajanan, from PIE *gloi- "to stick." The confusion was less in O.E. when cleave (1) was a class 2 strong verb and cleave (2) a class 1 verb; but it has grown since cleave (1) weakened, which may be why both are largely superseded by stick and split. Cleaver "butcher's chopper" is from 1483.

cloven 
see cleave (1).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: cleave
Pronunciation: 'klEv
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: cleaved; cleav·ing
: to subject to chemicalcleavage cleaved by an enzyme>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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