cleaver

US/ˈklivɚ/

nounB2+Common in everyday speech and writing · #7,305 of 15,258neutral

Other forms: cleavers

A cleaver is a heavy square blade that chops through bone. A butcher's cleaver, swing the cleaver, a Chinese cleaver.

The weight does the work rather than the edge, which is why it is ground blunter than any other kitchen knife and why forcing it is dangerous. A Chinese cleaver is a different tool despite the shape — thin, sharp and meant for vegetables.

Definitions of cleaver

1nouncleaverA heavy square blade for chopping through bone.B2+
“The butcher chopped through the bone with one blow of his cleaver.”
- Said"Use the cleaver for the ribs; I don't want the small blade bent again."
- WrittenThe butcher's cleavers came down once, and the bone gave way without argument.
- UsedKeep the cleaver for bones and squash; it is too heavy for herbs.
- ContrastA cleaver, not a knife. A knife slices with a thin edge; a cleaver is a square weight that chops through bone. knife →
- Not thisA large chef's blade is not a cleaver. A cleaver is rectangular and heavy.
- SimplyThe cleaver is big and heavy. Cut the meat.
Patterna meat cleaver · bring down the cleaver · a butcher's cleaver · cleave

cleaver is a knife.

Remember it

cLEAVEr → it LEAVEs the bone in two

One heavy blow and it leaves the bone in two pieces on the board.

hooks ontoleave

Where it comes from

Cleave plus -er, from Old English cleofan, to split. Cleave has a second, opposite sense, to stick fast, from a different verb.

Middle English
clevere
English, today
cleaver

From Middle English clevere, equivalent to cleave + er.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Definitions of cleaver

1nouncleaverA heavy square blade for chopping through bone.B2+

“The butcher chopped through the bone with one blow of his cleaver.”

Said"Use the cleaver for the ribs; I don't want the small blade bent again."
WrittenThe butcher's cleavers came down once, and the bone gave way without argument.
UsedKeep the cleaver for bones and squash; it is too heavy for herbs.
ContrastA cleaver, not a knife. A knife slices with a thin edge; a cleaver is a square weight that chops through bone. knife →
Not thisA large chef's blade is not a cleaver. A cleaver is rectangular and heavy.
SimplyThe cleaver is big and heavy. Cut the meat.

Patterna meat cleaver · bring down the cleaver · a butcher's cleaver · cleave

cleaver is a knife.