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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Cleve, Cleif, v.¹ Also: clewe, cleive; p.t. clave, clawe, clafe, claf(f, claif(f, clayf; cleyffyt; p.p. clovin, -yn, clowin, clevin. [ME. cleve(n, clefe, early cleoven, OE. cléofan.]

1. tr. To cleave, to split. Also absol.(a) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxii. 18.
The pyet … Fenȝeis to sing the nychtingalis not; Bot scho can nevir the corchat cleif 1513 Doug. x. vi. 21.
Thys ground … Do scheir and cleif in sundyr lyke a stok c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 149.
To the teith he did him cleif a1568 Scott iv. 47.
Sic treitment is a trane To cleive thair quaver caice 1595 Duncan Appendix.
Findo, to cleif(b) 1375 Barb. iii. 138 (E).
Syne with the suerd sic dynt hym gave, That he the heid till the harnys clave Ib. v. 633 (C).
Richt he the hed to harnis clafe [E. claiff] c1475 Wall. ii. 405.
The rousty blaid to the schulderis him claiff Ib. vii. 309.
The thrid he straik, and throuch the cost him claiff a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 937.
He … claif throw the cantell of the clene schelde 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1924.
With his scharp sword he claif his heid in tway c1590 J. Stewart II. 241 § 165.
Ane sourd him clawe or he vas var to flie 1602 Soc. Ant. VII. 556.
[They] woundit him in the heid, and claif his harne-pan with swordis 1606 Crim. Trials II. ii. 519.
[He] gaif the said … Thomas ane crewall … straik in his heid, and claif the samin asunder(b) c1475 Wall. xi. 124.
This gud chyftan … Cleyffyt the cost rycht cruelly in twa(c) ?1438 Alex. i. 2538.
With hard dintis sheildis clouin, And knichtis lyand in blude bedofin 1513 Doug. ix. xii. 66.
Hys hed clovyn in equale halfis lay 1535 Stewart 33251.
Sum with ane culmische clevin to the belt 1614 Crim. Trials III. 289.
I will bring with me … cannone billetts … clovin in twa halffis

2. intr. To undergo cleaving or splitting.(a) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 88.
Thow sall recryat, or thy croun sall cleif Ib. xxix. 9.
War nocht gud howp my hart vphie, My verry corpis for cair wald cleif 1535 Stewart 33297.
Thi hart … wald brek and all in pecis clewe For to heir tell [etc.] c1540 Lynd. Kitteis Conf. 140.
Thocht Codrus kyte suld cleue and birst 1596 Dalr. II. 125/24.
Al war lyk to cleiue of lauchter 1587-99 Hume ii. 114.
Why oft the earth … in twa is like to cleif 1666-7 Blakhall Narr. 153.
A little shippe … did stick upon a rock … and … did cleive in two(b) c1420 Wynt. iv. 2084.
Nere by in ane othire plas The erde clave [C. clayf] and oppynnyd was c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxii. 83.
The erde did trimmill, the stanis claif 1535 Stewart 26492.
Semand to thame the erd opnit and claif Ib. 34181.
The scheildis crakit and in schunder clawe 15.. Clar. i. 48.
Thay togidder drave, Quhyll baith thair scheildis in peices clave a1568 Scott xiv. 9.
Na merwell albeit my hart claif For sorrow of his deith