All 4 Uses of
cleave
in
Cyrano de Bergerac
- (To a cook, showing him some loaves): You have put the cleft o' th' loaves in the wrong place; know you not that the coesura should be between the hemistiches†
Act 2 *cleft = a split or crack in something"Editor's Notes"Cleft is the past tense of cleave like left is past tense of leave.
Today, cleft is most seen in the form cleft palate or cleft lip to refer to medical conditions at birth.
- LE BRET (throwing back his head): He keeps it on—and cleaves in two any man who dares remark on it!†
Act 1
- I've ten hearts in my breast; a score of arms; No dwarfs to cleave in twain!†
Act 1
Uses with a meaning too rare to warrant foucs:
- CYRANO (cuffing his head): Clove-heads.†
Act 2 *clove = a dried flower bud or section of a garlic plant
Definitions:
-
(1)
(cleave as in: cleave through) to split or cut through somethingIronically, 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. -
(2)
(cleave as in: cleave to) to hold firmly to something -- such as an object, a person or ideaIronically, 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. -
(3)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
a proper noun or other word too rare to warrant focus