CLEFTS

Noun

clefts

plural of cleft

Verb

clefts

Third-person singular simple present indicative form of cleft

Source: Wiktionary

CLEFT

Cleft, imp. & p. p.

Definition: from Cleave.

Cleft, a.

1. Divided; split; partly divided or split.

2. (Bot.)

Definition: Incised nearly to the midrob; as, a cleft leaf.

Cleft, n. Etym: [OE. clift; cf. Sw. klyft cave, den, Icel. kluft cleft, Dan. klöft, 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.

2. A piece made by splitting; as, a cleft of wood.

3. (Far.)

Definition: A disease in horses; a crack on the band of the pastern. Branchial clefts. See under Branchial.

Syn.

– Crack; crevice; fissure; chink; cranny.

CLEAVE

Cleave, v. i. [.. Cleaved (, Clave (, (Obs.); p. p. Cleaved; p. pr. & vb. n. Cleaving.] Etym: [OE. cleovien, clivien, cliven, AS. cleofian, clifian; akin to OS. klibon, G. kleben, LG. kliven, D. kleven, Dan. klæbe, Sw. klibba, and also to G. kleiben to cleve, paste, Icel. klifa to climb. Cf. Climb.]

1. To adhere closely; to stick; to hold fast; to cling. 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.

Cleave, v. t. [imp. Cleft, Clave (, Clove (, (Obsolescent); p. p. Cleft, Cleaved ( or Cloven (; p. pr. & vb. n. Cleaving.] Etym: [OE. cleoven, cleven, AS. cleófan; akin to OS. klioban, D. klooven, G. klieben, Icel. kljufa, Sw. klyfva, Dan. klöve and prob. to Gr. glubere to peel. Cf. Cleft.]

1. To part or divide by force; to split or rive; to cut. O Hamlet, thou hast cleft my heart in twain. Shak.

2. To pert or open naturally; to divide. Every beast that parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into two claws. Deut. xiv. 6.

Cleave, v. i.

Definition: 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.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition