cleofan

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *kleuban, from Proto-Germanic *kleubaną, from Proto-Indo-European *glewbʰ- (“cut, carve”).

Germanic cognates include Old Saxon kliovan, Middle Dutch clieven (Dutch klieven), Old High German klioban, Old Norse kljúfa. The Indo-European root is also the source of Ancient Greek γλύφω (glúphō, “carve”), Latin glūbō (“strip the bark off a tree”), Russian глубо́кий (glubókij, “deep”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkle͜oː.fɑn/, [ˈkle͜oː.vɑn]

Verb

clēofan

1. to cleave, split
   • Bordweall clufon aforan Eadweardes. ― Edward’s sons clove the shield-wall. (Anglo-Saxon Chronicles)

Conjugation

Conjugation of clēofan (strong class 2)

infinitive	clēofan	clēofenne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	clēofe	clēaf
second person singular	clīefst	clufe
third person singular	clīefþ	clēaf
plural	clēofaþ	clufon
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	clēofe	clufe
plural	clēofen	clufen
imperative
singular	clēof
plural	clēofaþ
participle	present	past
	clēofende	(ġe)clofen

Related terms

• clēafa
• ġeclyft

Descendants

• Middle English: cleven
  • English: cleave
  • Scots: cleave