cleav|age

cleav|age
cleav|age «KLEE vihj», noun.
1. the act of cleaving or state of being cleft; split; division: »

Figurative. There is little to look upon with pleasure amidst this cleavage of party ties and rending of old associations (Fortnightly Review).

2. a) the way in which something tends to split. b) Mineralogy. the tendency of some minerals to split along definite directions producing an even surface: »

Slate and mica show a marked cleavage and can easily be separated into layers.

3. a) Embryology. any one of the series of divisions by which the single cell of a fertilized egg develops into the many-celled embryo, or the whole series. b) Biology. = cell division. (Cf. ↑cell division)
4. Chemistry. the splitting of a compound into simpler compounds.
5. the cleft between a woman's breasts, as is displayed in a low-cut garment.

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • cleav·age — …   Useful english dictionary

  • cleav — cleav·a·bil·i·ty; cleav·a·ble; cleav·age; cleav·ers; cleav·er·wort; cleav·ing·ly; cleav·er; …   English syllables

  • age — age·a·ble; age; age·less; age·long; age·net·ic; al·ien·age; al·loy·age; al·tar·age; am·per·age; an·ec·dot·age; ap·pend·age; ar·rear·age; av·er·age·ly; av·er·age·ness; bale·age; bal·last·age; bar·on·age; bar·on·et·age; bar·rel·age; bea·con·age;… …   English syllables

  • cleavage — cleav·age …   English syllables

  • cleavage — cleav•age [[t]ˈkli vɪdʒ[/t]] n. 1) the act of cleaving or splitting 2) the state of being cleft 3) the area between a woman s breasts, esp. when revealed by a low cut neckline 4) pet the tendency of crystals, certain minerals, rocks, etc., to… …   From formal English to slang

  • cleavage — cleav|age [ˈkli:vıdʒ] n [U and C] 1.) the space between a woman s breasts 2.) formal a difference between two people or things that often causes problems or arguments …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • cleavage — cleav|age [ klivıdʒ ] noun count 1. ) the space between a woman s breasts 2. ) FORMAL a division between two groups of people or things …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • cleavage — 1. Series of mitotic cell divisions occurring in the ovum immediately following its fertilization. SYN: segmentation (2). SEE ALSO: c. division. 2. Splitting of a complex molecule into two or more simpler molecules. SYN: scission (2). 3 …   Medical dictionary

  • Basal cleavage — Cleavage Cleav age, n. 1. The act of cleaving or splitting. [1913 Webster] 2. (Crystallog.) The quality possessed by many crystallized substances of splitting readily in one or more definite directions, in which the cohesive attraction is a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Cell cleavage — Cleavage Cleav age, n. 1. The act of cleaving or splitting. [1913 Webster] 2. (Crystallog.) The quality possessed by many crystallized substances of splitting readily in one or more definite directions, in which the cohesive attraction is a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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