Obs. [? ad. L. clāvis key, bolt.]

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  † 1.

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1601.  Holland, Pliny, XVI. xl. The leaves of the dores belonging to this temple … stood foure yeres glewed in the clave [in glutinis compagine].

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  2.  Naut. (See quots.)

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1794.  Rigging & Seamanship, I. 151. Clave, a stool … supported by 4 legs; the top 6 feet long, 2 or 3 feet wide … in which the shells are set up with wedges for making the sheave-holes. Ibid., 153. The blocks are … jambed up … with wedges in a clave.

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  3.  (See quot.)

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1847–78.  Halliwell, Clave, the handle, or the part of a pair of small balances by which they are lifted up in weighing anything.

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  Clave, pa. tense of CLEAVE v.

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