Both Uses of
cleave
in
Washington Square
- "You will cleave to me?" said Morris.
Chpt 10 (definition 1) *cleave = hold firmly
- Catherine's outbreak of anger and the sense of wrong gave her, while they lasted, the satisfaction that comes from all assertion of force; they hurried her along, and there is always a sort of pleasure in cleaving the air.
Chpt 30 (definition 2) *cleaving = splitting
Definitions:
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(1) (cleave as in: cleave to) to hold firmly to something -- such as an object, a person or ideaeditor's notes: Ironically, this word can mean to split in two or to hold together.
Note that you may see cleaved, clove, or clave as the past tense of this sense of cleave.
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(2) (cleave as in: cleave through) to split or cut through somethingeditor's notes: Ironically, this word can mean to split in two or to hold together.
Note that you may see cleaved, cleft, clove, or cloven as the past tense of this sense of cleave.