cleft or cleaved or clove, cleft or cleaved or clo·ven, cleav·ing.

to split or divide by or as if by a cutting blow, especially along a natural line of division, as the grain of wood.

to make by or as if by cutting: to cleave a path through the wilderness.

to penetrate or pass through (air, water, etc.): The bow of the boat cleaved the water cleanly.