Cleavers

a north american plant, galium aparine, of the madder family, having short, hooked bristles on the stems and leaves and bearing very small white flowers.
any of certain related species.
a heavy, broad-bladed knife or long-bladed hatchet, especially one used by butchers for cutting meat into joints or pieces.
a person or thing that cleaves.
contemporary examples

the 2012 holiday kitchen gift guide megan mcardle december 12, 2012

historical examples

stubble george looms
duffels edward eggleston
charles d-ckens and music james t. lightwood
mildred arkell, (vol 3 of 3) ellen wood
the fat and the thin emile zola
the lady of lynn walter besant
the fat and the thin emile zola
alexander pope leslie stephen
charles d-ckens and music james t. lightwood

noun
(functioning as sing) a eurasian rubiaceous plant, galium aparine, having small white flowers and pr-ckly stems and fruits also called goosegr-ss, hairif, sticky willie
noun
a heavy knife or long-bladed hatchet, esp one used by butchers
n.

this last [“marrowbones and cleaver”] is a sign in fetter lane, originating from a custom, now rapidly dying away, of the butcher boys serenading newly married couples with these professional instruments. formerly, the band would consist of four cleavers, each of a different tone, or, if complete, of eight, and by beating their marrowbones skilfully against these, they obtained a sort of music somewhat after the fashion of indifferent bell-ringing. when well performed, however, and heard from a proper distance, it was not altogether unpleasant. … the butchers of clare market had the reputation of being the best performers. … this music was once so common that tom killigrew called it the national instrument of england. [larwood & hotten, “the history of signboards from the earliest times to the present day,” london, 1867]

cleaver
(klē’vər)
a bifacial stone tool flaked to produce a straight, sharp, relatively wide edge at one end. cleavers are early core tools -ssociated primarily with the acheulian tool culture.