Background for cleft

cleft

/klɛft/

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noun

An opening, fissure, or V-shaped indentation made by or as if by splitting.

Examples :

"The hiker carefully stepped across the cleft in the rock, fearing he might fall. "

gap geology anatomy part

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noun

A piece made by splitting.

Examples :

"a cleft of wood"

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noun

A disease of horses; a crack on the band of the pastern.

Examples :

"The vet diagnosed a cleft in the horse's pastern. "

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verb

To syntactically separate a prominent constituent from the rest of the clause that concerns it, such as threat in "The threat which I saw but which he didn't see, was his downfall."

Examples :

""It was the rain that cleft our picnic plans in two, forcing us to stay inside." "

grammar linguistics

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verb

To split or sever something with, or as if with, a sharp instrument.

Examples :

"The wings cleaved the foggy air."

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verb

To break a single crystal (such as a gemstone or semiconductor wafer) along one of its more symmetrical crystallographic planes (often by impact), forming facets on the resulting pieces.

Examples :

"The jeweler carefully cleft the rough diamond crystal along its natural plane to reveal its inner brilliance. "

material science chemistry physics technical

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verb

To make or accomplish by or as if by cutting.

Examples :

"The truck cleaved a path through the ice."

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verb

To split (a complex molecule) into simpler molecules.

Examples :

"The enzyme cleft the large sugar molecule into two smaller, more easily digestible sugars. "

chemistry biology biochemistry process

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verb

Examples :

"The carpenter cleft the log with an axe. "

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verb

Of a crystal, to split along a natural plane of division.

Examples :

"The geologist carefully cleaved the quartz crystal along its natural cleft. "

geology material

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adjective

Split, divided, or partially divided into two.

Examples :

"The rock climber carefully navigated the cleft mountain face. "

part appearance structure