[*** \mathrm{cleave}^1] |klēv|

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verb (past clove |klōv| or cleft |kleft| or cleaved |klēvd;| past participle cloven |ˈklōvən| or cleft or cleaved) with object

split or sever (something), especially along a natural line or grain:

(おのなどで)…を割る, 裂く; …を分裂させる

e.g. the large ax his father used to cleave wood for the fire.

split (a molecule) by breaking a particular chemical bond.

no object Biology (of a cell) divide:

分裂する

e.g. the egg cleaves to form a mulberry-shaped cluster of cells.

make a way through (something) forcefully, as if by splitting it apart:

…を突き抜ける; 〈人ごみ･空中･水･暗闇など〉を突っ切って進む

e.g. they watched a coot cleave the smooth water

«…を» 突っ切って進む «through» .

e.g. no object : an unstoppable warrior clove through their ranks

e.g. Stan was off, cleaving a path through the traffic.

cleavable |ˈklēvəb(ə)l| adjective

Old English clēofan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch klieven and German klieben.

[*** \mathrm{cleave}^2] |klēv|

STICK, ADHERE, COHERE, CLING, CLEAVE mean to become closely attached.

STICK implies attachment by affixing or by being glued together.

e.g. couldn't get the label to stick

ADHERE is often interchangeable with stick but sometimes implies a growing together.

e.g. antibodies adhering to a virus

COHERE suggests a sticking together of parts so that they form a unified mass.

e.g. eggs will make the mixture cohere

CLING implies attachment by hanging on with arms or tendrils.

e.g. clinging to a capsized boat

CLEAVE stresses strength of attachment.

e.g. the wet shirt cleaved to his back

verb no object (cleave to) literary

stick fast to:

｟かたく｠ 〖～ to A〗Aに付着する

e.g. Rose's mouth was dry, her tongue cleaving to the roof of her mouth.

adhere strongly to (a particular pursuit or belief):

｟かたく｠ 〖～ to A〗A〈人･思想など〉に忠実である, 忠誠をつくす

e.g. part of why we cleave to sports is that excellence is so measurable.

become very strongly involved with or emotionally attached to (someone):

｟かたく｠ 〖～ to A〗〈周囲の人･物など〉に執着する

e.g. it was his choice to cleave to the Brownings.

Old English cleofian, clifian, clīfan, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch kleven and German kleben, also to clay and climb.