New honors come upon him,
Like our strange garments, cleave not to their mold
But with the aid of use.
Shak.
Cleave (klēv), v. t. [imp. Cleft (kl&ebreve;ft), Clave (klāv, Obs.), Clove (klōv, Obsolescent); p. p. Cleft, Cleaved (klēvd) or Cloven (klō"v'n); p. pr. & vb. n. Cleaving.] [OE. cleoven, cleven, AS. cleˇfan; akin to OS. klioban, D. klooven, G. klieben, Icel. kljūfa, Sw. klyfva, Dan. kl÷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.
O Hamlet, thou hast cleft my heart in twain.
Shak.