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For anyone else that was confused, apparently there is an alternate usage of the word 'Cleave' that means 'to adhere' (rather than 'to cut' or 'to separate').[0]

I hadn't heard of that one.

[0] https://www.dailywritingtips.com/75-contronyms-words-with-co...

[1] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cleave#:~:text=De...

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I almost feel like that specific usage should come with the 'archaic' tag, but it's reasonably common in slightly older novels, I think? Things like "He still cleaves to the imagined ideals of his forefathers".

It definitely tends to be used in a more philosophical sense than the very physical "cleave a block of wood in two", though.

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