cleave

Etymology 1

From Middle English cleven, from the Old English strong verb clēofan (“to split, to separate”), from Proto-West Germanic *kleuban, from Proto-Germanic *kleubaną, from Proto-Indo-European *glewbʰ- (“to cut, to slice”). Doublet of clive. Cognate with Dutch klieven, dialectal German klieben, Swedish klyva, Norwegian Nynorsk kløyva; also Ancient Greek γλύφω (glúphō, “carve”).

verb

1. (transitive) To split or sever something with, or as if with, a sharp instrument.
   The wings cleaved the foggy air.
2. (transitive, mineralogy) To break a single crystal (such as a gemstone or semiconductor wafer) along one of its more symmetrical crystallographic planes (often by impact), forming facets on the resulting pieces.
3. (transitive) To make or accomplish by or as if by cutting.
   The truck cleaved a path through the ice.
4. (transitive, chemistry) To split (a complex molecule) into simpler molecules.
5. (intransitive) To split.
6. (intransitive, mineralogy) Of a crystal, to split along a natural plane of division.

noun

1. (technology) Flat, smooth surface produced by cleavage, or any similar surface produced by similar techniques, as in glass.

Etymology 2

From Middle English cleven, a conflation of two verbs: Old English clifian (from Proto-West Germanic *klibēn, from Proto-Germanic *klibāną) and Old English clīfan (from Proto-West Germanic *klīban, from Proto-Germanic *klībaną), both ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gleybʰ- (“to stick”). Cognate with Dutch kleven, German kleben (“to stick”).

verb

1. (intransitive, rare) Followed by to or unto: to adhere, cling, or stick fast to something.
   In fact everyone is obligated, to this loving cleaving to God as necessary for salvation, in the form of observing the commandments and conforming to the divine will,[…] 2019-12-07, St. Albertus Magnus, On Cleaving to God, Dalcassian Publishing Company, page 5