different between claver vs cleaver

English

Etymology 1

From Scots claver.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?klæv?(?)/

Noun

claver (countable and uncountable, plural clavers)

1. (Britain, Scotland, dialect) Frivolous or nonsensical talk; prattle; chatter.

Verb

claver (third-person singular simple present clavers, present participle clavering, simple past and past participle clavered)

1. (Britain, Scotland, dialect) To gossip or chit-chat.

Etymology 2

Noun

claver (uncountable)

1. Alternative form of clover.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Holland to this entry?)

Anagrams

• calver, carvel

Middle English

Noun

claver

1. Alternative form of clovere

Scots

Etymology

Origin uncertain. Perhaps compare Gaelic clabaire (“prattler”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?kle?v?r/

Verb

claver (third-person singular present clavers, present participle claverin, past clavert, past participle clavert)

1. to gossip, chat idly
   • 1817, Walter Scott, Rob Roy, II.3:

     ‘he'll claver wi' her, or ony ither idle slut, rather than hear what might do him gude a' the days of his life, frae you or me, Mr. Hammorgaw, or ony ither sober and sponsible person.’

English

Etymology

From cleave +? -er; compare Middle English clevere.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?kliv?/
• Rhymes: -i?v?(r)

Noun

cleaver (plural cleavers)

1. A squarish, heavy knife used by butchers for hacking through bones, etc.
   • 1883, Howard Pyle, The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood Chapter V

     When he came to Nottingham, he entered that part of the market where butchers stood, and took up his inn in the best place he could find. Next, he opened his stall and spread his meat upon the bench, then, taking his cleaver and steel and clattering them together, he trolled aloud in merry tones:...

   • 1946, Mervyn Peake, Titus Groan

     Concurrently with Flay's visualization of the cleaver falling—the cleaver fell.

2. (music, Bahamas) A type of clave, or rhythm stick, a concussive musical instrument used in traditional Bahamian music.
3. (metaphoric) 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

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

Translations