Cleave — Defs

01 v. i. To adhere closely; to stick; to hold fast; to cling.

imp. Cleaved; p. p. Cleaved; p. pr. & vb. n. Cleaving

1.
To adhere closely; to stick; to hold fast; to cling.[Obs.]
“My bones cleave to my skin.” — Ps. cii. 5.

“The diseases of Egypt . . . shall cleave unto thee.” — Deut. xxviii. 60.

“Sophistry cleaves close to and protects Sin's rotten trunk, concealing its defects.” — Cowper.
2.
To unite or be united closely in interest or affection; to adhere with strong attachment.
“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife.” — Gen. ii. 24.

“Cleave unto the Lord your God.” — Josh. xxiii. 8.
3.
To fit; to be adapted; to assimilate.[Poetic.]
“New honors come upon him, Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mold But with the aid of use.” — Shak.

02 v. t. To part or divide by force; to split or rive; to cut.

imp. Cleft; p. p. Cleft; p. pr. & vb. n. Cleaving

1.
To part or divide by force; to split or rive; to cut.[Obs.]
“O Hamlet, thou hast cleft my heart in twain.” — Shak.
2.
To part or open naturally; to divide.
“Every beast that parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into two claws.” — Deut. xiv. 6.

03 v. i. To part; to open; to crack; to separate; as parts of bodies; as, the ground cleaves by frost.

1.
To part; to open; to crack; to separate; as parts of bodies; as, the ground cleaves by frost.
“The Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst.” — Zech. xiv. 4.