Cleat

//kliːt// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A strip of wood or iron fastened on transversely to something in order to give strength, prevent warping, hold position, etc.

    "[...] the people of that island erected lofty spars along the seacoast, to which the look-outs ascended by means of nailed cleats, something as fowls go upstairs in a hen-house."

  2. 2
    a strip of wood or metal used to strengthen the surface to which it is attached wordnet
  3. 3
    A continuous metal strip, or angled piece, used to secure metal components.
  4. 4
    a fastener (usually with two projecting horns) around which a rope can be secured wordnet
  5. 5
    A device to quickly affix a line or rope, and from which it is also easy to release.
Show 3 more definitions
  1. 6
    a metal or leather projection (as from the sole of a shoe); prevents slipping wordnet
  2. 7
    A protrusion on the bottom of a shoe or wheel meant for better traction.

    "Near-synonym: calk"

  3. 8
    An athletic shoe equipped with cleats.

    "He needs to put on five pieces of gear: his helmet, left glove, right glove, left cleat, and right cleat."

Verb
  1. 1
    To strengthen with a cleat.
  2. 2
    secure on a cleat wordnet
  3. 3
    To tie off, affix, stopper a line or rope, especially to a cleat.
  4. 4
    provide with cleats wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English clete, from Old English *clēat (“block, wedge”), from Proto-West Germanic *klaut, from Proto-Germanic *klautaz (“firm lump”), from Proto-Indo-European *gelewd-, from *gley- (“to glue, stick together, form into a ball”). Cognate with Dutch kloot (“ball; testicle”) and German Kloß (“clump”). See also clay and clout.

Etymology 2

From Middle English clete, from Old English *clēat (“block, wedge”), from Proto-West Germanic *klaut, from Proto-Germanic *klautaz (“firm lump”), from Proto-Indo-European *gelewd-, from *gley- (“to glue, stick together, form into a ball”). Cognate with Dutch kloot (“ball; testicle”) and German Kloß (“clump”). See also clay and clout.

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