cleaver

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English clevere, equivalent to cleave +‎ -er. === Pronunciation === (General American) IPA(key): /ˈklivɚ/ Rhymes: -iːvə(ɹ) === Noun === cleaver (plural cleavers) A squarish, heavy knife used by butchers for hacking through bones, etc. A Paleolithic biface. (music, Bahamas) A type of clave, or rhythm stick, a concussive musical instrument used in traditional Bahamian music. (figurative) The act of eliminating someone or something, especially when done by someone with a history of other eliminations; a dismissal, rejection, or removal. Synonym: axe (rowing) A type of oar blade with an asymmetric, mostly rectangular shape that resembles a cleaving knife. (geometry) A line segment that bisects the perimeter of a triangle and has one endpoint at the midpoint of one of the triangle's three sides. Coordinate term: splitter ==== Usage notes ==== As a musical instrument, cleaver is normally used only in the plural, just like the more common synonym claves, which is far more often used internationally and is better known as a part of Cuban music. In the Bahamas, cleavers is the more common terminology. ==== Related terms ==== cleave pole cleaver ==== Translations ====