cleft

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noun

A usually narrow partial opening caused by splitting and rupture: break, chink, cleavage, crack, crevice, fissure, rift, split. See open/close.

adj

Definition: separated, split
Antonyms: joined, joint, united

n

Definition: break, gap
Antonyms: closing, closure, solid

A fissure or longitudinal opening, especially one occurring during embryonic development.

• branchial c's — the slit-like openings in the gills of fish between the branchial arches; also, the homologous branchial grooves between the branchial arches of mammalian embryos.
• c. chin — occasionally seen in cattle particularly Herefords. There is a notch at the mandibular symphysis and the central incisors may be directed centrally.
• frog c. — the sagittal cleft in the frog of the horse's foot.
• glottic c. — entrance to the larynx; called also rima glottidis.
• infundibular c. — common opening of the auditory tubes in birds.
• interdigital c. — separates the hooves.
• c. lip — a defect in fusion between the central prolabium and one or both lateral mesodermal masses. Most common in dogs of the brachycephalic breeds; may be inherited or caused by environmental factors. Often combined with defects in the palate. Called also primary cleft palate, harelip, cheiloschisis.
— Congenital fissure, or split, may involve the hard or soft palate. A common cause of nasal regurgitation in neonates, especially foals. Known to be inherited in some breeds of cattle and dogs, particularly brachycephalic breeds. Called also secondary cleft palate, palatoschisis.

Cleft lip (harelip) in a calf. By permission from Blowey RW, Weaver AD, Diseases and Disorders of Cattle, Mosby, 1997

• c. palate — see cleft lip (above). Also occurs commonly in diseases manifest with arthrogryposis, both hereditary as in Charolais cattle and with lupine-induced crooked calf.
• Rathke c. — see rathke's pouch.
• c. tongue — the anterior portion is divided by a longitudinal cleft.

n

A longitudinal fissure of opening.

For a list of words related to cleft, see:

• Ugly, unattractive, or malformed
• Hills, Hollows, and Valleys - cleft: small fissure in earth
• Fixed Positions and Points - cleft: split; depression between ridges

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See words rhyming with "cleft."

Dansk (Danish)
adj. - kløvet, spaltet
n. - spalte, kløft, splittelse

idioms:

• cleft palate    ganespalte
• in a cleft stick    i knibe

Nederlands (Dutch)
gespleten, scheur, kloof

Français (French)
adj. - marqué d'un sillon
n. - fente

idioms:

• cleft palate    bec de lièvre, palais fendu
• in a cleft stick    (être pris) entre le marteau et l'enclume

Deutsch (German)
n. - Spalte, Kluft
adj. - gespalten

idioms:

• cleft palate    Gaumenspalte
• in a cleft stick    (ugs.) in der Klemme

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - ρωγμή, σχισμή, χαραμάδα
adj. - σχιστός, διχαλωτός, δίχηλος

idioms:

• cleft palate    (παθολ.) υπερωιοσχιστία, λυκόστομα
• in a cleft stick    (καθομ.) σε δίλημμα

Italiano (Italian)
fessura, spacco, fenditura, crepaccio

idioms:

• cleft palate    palato fesso, palatoschisi
• in a cleft stick    nei guai

Português (Portuguese)
n. - fenda (f)
adj. - dividido

idioms:

• cleft palate    fenda (f) palatina (Med.)
• in a cleft stick    em uma situação difícil

Русский (Russian)
трещина, расселина

idioms:

• cleft palate    волчья пасть, расщепленное небо
• in a cleft stick    в тупиковой ситуации

Español (Spanish)
adj. - agrietado, hendido, quebrado
n. - grieta, hendidura, quebrada

idioms:

• cleft palate    fisura palatina, paladar hendido
• in a cleft stick    hallarse en un dilema

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - klyfta
adj. - klyft-

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
劈开的, 裂缝, 裂口

idioms:

• cleft palate    颚裂
• in a cleft stick    进退两难

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 劈開的
n. - 裂縫, 裂口

idioms:

• cleft palate    顎裂
• in a cleft stick    進退兩難

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 쪼개진, 잎이 갈라진
n. - 갈라진 틈, 분열선

idioms:

• in a cleft stick    진퇴양난에 빠져, 궁지에 몰려

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 裂け目, 割れ目
adj. - 裂けた

idioms:

• cleft palate    口蓋裂
• in a cleft stick    進退窮まって

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) شق, شرخ, صدع (صفه) مشقوق‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮מחולק בחלקו, מבוקע‬
n. - ‮פער, בקיע, סדק‬

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