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Glite Dictionary
🪓 To split 🧲 To stick closely
to cleave

to cleave

8 8.0
To cut something in two using a sharp tool like an axe
  • verb
  • /kliv/
translation icon : cortar
  • She needed to cleave the log in half to create firewood for the winter.
  • cleave the HA protein

It's microglia that cleave off neuronal synaptic connections.

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Examples

  • It's microglia that cleave off neuronal synaptic connections.

    Lex Fridman

  • The chef used a sharp knife to cleave the meat into perfectly sized portions.

  • Chris uses the machete to cleave into the tunnel's upper support beam.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • You're all thinking, OK, we need to cleave double stranded DNA.

  • Protease cleaves longer proteins into smaller core proteins.

  • They toiled with a pick and a crowbar and a drill to cleave a breech.

  • With one precise swing, he managed to cleave the thick branch off the tree.

Synonyms

to split
vsto cleave
513 1.3

To break something into two or more parts

focuses on cutting or splitting often with a sharp tool or force
to chop
vsto cleave
193 1.0

To cut something into pieces using a sharp tool like a knife or axe

involves cutting or splitting that may be more direct or single action
to sever
vsto cleave
100 5.6

To cut something completely away from a larger thing with a knife or tool

is about splitting rather than fully removing a part
to cut into
vsto cleave
89 2.3

To make something into smaller pieces using a knife or tool

often means making a simple split or cut, not many small pieces
to slash
vsto cleave
53 3.0

To cut forcefully with a knife or sharp tool

is similar but can be less long or sweeping in motion
to carve
vsto cleave
53 1.5

Cut meat into slices for serving

refers to splitting or cutting broadly, not just preparing food
to slice through
vsto cleave
10 4.1

Cut or move quickly and smoothly through air and water

tends to be more forceful or blunt rather than smooth slicing
to dismember
vsto cleave
  • Offensive
9 9.0

To divide something into parts, often breaking a company or country

implies simple cutting or splitting rather than violent breakup
to lacerate
vsto cleave
  • NSFW
9 7.5

To cut or tear skin roughly

applies more generally to splitting or cutting objects by force
to lop off
vsto cleave
9 4.6

To cut a part from something with one quick move

covers splitting or cutting generally, not only removal actions
to cleft
vsto cleave
  • Archaic
1 6.3

To split something into two parts by force, like lightning or an axe

is an active cutting or splitting action rather than a natural crack
to rive
vsto cleave
9.8

To split something violently with a sharp tool

cuts or divides using a sharp tool or applied force
to discerp
vsto cleave
  • Archaic
9.9

To tear something into separate parts, usually by force

uses sharp tools or force to make a cleaner split

Antonyms

to unite
∞ 2.1

To join people or things into one group for a shared purpose

join
11 2.9

The place where two things meet and are fixed together

How Forceful

to split
513 1.3
to cleave
8 8.0
to hack
55 4.7
to chop
193 1.0
cut
1.0
to slice
203 1.0
to nick
33 3.5

Surface Forms

cleave infinitive
cleaved past
cleaved past participle
cleaving present participle
cleaves third person singular

Etymology

Cleave, in the sense 'to split', comes from an old word that meant 'to split' and you can see the same idea in cleaver the heavy knife and cleft the word for a split. So to cleave something is to cut or break it apart.