Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - cleave

~ v formal past tense cleaved, clove, cleft past participle cleaved, cloven cleft 1 I always + adv/prep, T always + adv/prep to cut something into separate parts using a heavy tool or to be able to be cut in this way  (The wooden door had been cleft in two.) 2 to divide something into two completely separate parts  (Class divisions have cleft the society.) 3 cleave the air/darkness etc to move quickly through the air etc  (His fist cleft the air.) cleave to sb/sth phr v 1 formal to continue to think that a method, belief etc is true or valuable, even when this seems unlikely  (John still cleaves to his romantic ideals.) 2 to stick to someone or something or seem to surround them