'Cleft' definitions:

Definition of 'cleft'

From: WordNet
adjective
Having one or more incisions reaching nearly to the midrib [syn: cleft, dissected]
noun
A split or indentation in something (as the palate or chin)
noun
A long narrow opening [syn: crack, cleft, crevice, fissure, scissure]

Definition of 'Cleft'

From: GCIDE
  • Cleave \Cleave\ (kl[=e]v), v. t. [imp. Cleft (kl[e^]ft), Clave (kl[=a]v, Obs.), Clove (kl[=o]v, Obsolescent); p. p. Cleft, Cleaved (kl[=e]vd) or Cloven (kl[=o]"v'n); p. pr. & vb. n. Cleaving.] [OE. cleoven, cleven, AS. cle['o]fan; akin to OS. klioban, D. klooven, G. klieben, Icel. klj[=u]fa, Sw. klyfva, Dan. kl["o]ve and prob. to Gr. gly`fein to carve, L. glubere to peel. Cf. Cleft.]
  • 1. To part or divide by force; to split or rive; to cut. [1913 Webster]
  • O Hamlet, thou hast cleft my heart in twain. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To part or open naturally; to divide. [1913 Webster]
  • Every beast that parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into two claws. --Deut. xiv. 6. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Cleft'

From: GCIDE
  • Cleave \Cleave\ (kl[=e]v), v. t. [imp. Cleft (kl[e^]ft), Clave (kl[=a]v, Obs.), Clove (kl[=o]v, Obsolescent); p. p. Cleft, Cleaved (kl[=e]vd) or Cloven (kl[=o]"v'n); p. pr. & vb. n. Cleaving.] [OE. cleoven, cleven, AS. cle['o]fan; akin to OS. klioban, D. klooven, G. klieben, Icel. klj[=u]fa, Sw. klyfva, Dan. kl["o]ve and prob. to Gr. gly`fein to carve, L. glubere to peel. Cf. Cleft.]
  • 1. To part or divide by force; to split or rive; to cut. [1913 Webster]
  • O Hamlet, thou hast cleft my heart in twain. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To part or open naturally; to divide. [1913 Webster]
  • Every beast that parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into two claws. --Deut. xiv. 6. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Cleft'

From: GCIDE
  • Cleft \Cleft\, n. [OE. clift; cf. Sw. klyft cave, den, Icel. kluft cleft, Dan. kl["o]ft, 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. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. A piece made by splitting; as, a cleft of wood. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. (Far.) A disease in horses; a crack on the band of the pastern. [1913 Webster]
  • Branchial clefts. See under Branchial.
  • Syn: Crack; crevice; fissure; chink; cranny. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Cleft'

From: GCIDE
  • Cleft \Cleft\ (kl[e^]ft), imp. & p. p. from Cleave. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Cleft'

From: GCIDE
  • Cleft \Cleft\, a.
  • 1. Divided; split; partly divided or split. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. (Bot.) Incised nearly to the midrib; as, a cleft leaf. [1913 Webster]

Synonyms of 'cleft'

From: Moby Thesaurus

Words containing 'Cleft'