cleave

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cleave 2 stick fast, adhere. The present form repr. OE. cleofian, clifan = OS. cliƀon, OHG. klebēn (G. kleben) :- WGmc. wk. vb. *kliƀōjan, -ǣjan, f. *kliƀ-, the strong form of which is repr. by OE. clīfan = OS. biklīƀan (Du. beklijven), OHG. klīban, ON. klífa; f. Gmc. *klī́- stick, adhere (cf. CLAY, CLIMB). Cleft dates from XVII.

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