† Cleft, clift v.

Obs. rare. [f. the sb. or pa. pple.] intr. To divide, split, cleave.

1610.  W. Folkingham, Art of Survey, I. viii. 17. That Earth that by moulding in the hand doth clift and cleaue.

1657.  Tomlinson, Renou’s Disp., 668. Almonds … must be macerated long in warm water … that the cortex may cleft.

  Cleft, pa. t. and pa. pple. of CLEAVE¹; rarely of CLEAVE².