Irish. Also 6 cleefe. [ad. Ir. cliabh basket, cage, chest.] A basket. Hence Cleaveful.
1586. J. Hooker, Girald. Irel., in Holinshed, II. 97/2. [He] wrapt the yoong patient as tenderlie as he could, and had him conueied in a cleefe with all speed to Ophalie.
1801. Mar. Edgeworth, Castle Rackrent (1886), 39. A couple of cleavesful of the sods of his farm.
1882. Standard, 8 Dec., 3/4. The body … was placed in a cleave, or basket used for carrying turf.
1886. J. H. Tuke, Rept. Distrib. Seed Potato Fund, Hugh C— … has only two or three ‘cleaves’ of potatoes in the world.
Cleave, var. of CLEVE, cliff, steep declivity.
