Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A strip of wood or iron used to strengthen or support the surface to which it is attached.
  • noun A projecting piece of metal or hard rubber attached to the underside of a shoe to provide traction.
  • noun A pair of shoes with such projections on the soles.
  • noun A piece of metal or wood having projecting arms or ends on which a rope can be wound or secured.
  • noun A wedge-shaped piece of material, such as wood, that is fastened onto something, such as a spar, to act as a support or prevent slippage.
  • noun A spurlike device used in gripping a tree or pole in climbing.
  • transitive verb To supply, support, secure, or strengthen with a cleat.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun . The burdock.
  • noun Butter-bur.
  • noun . Nautical:
  • noun A piece of wood or iron consisting of a bar with arms, to which ropes are belayed.
  • noun A piece of wood nailed down to secure something from slipping.
  • noun A piece of iron fastened under a shoe to preserve the sole.
  • noun A piece of wood nailed on transversely to a piece of joinery for the purpose of securing it in its proper position or of strengthening it.
  • noun A strip nailed or otherwise secured across a board, post, etc., for any purpose, as for supporting the end of a shelf.
  • noun A trunnion-bracket on a gun-carriage.
  • To strengthen with a cleat or cleats.
  • noun In coalmining, the principal set of cleavage-planes by which the coal is divided.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Carp.) A strip of wood or iron fastened on transversely to something in order to give strength, prevent warping, hold position, etc.
  • noun (Naut.) A device made of wood or metal, having two arms, around which turns may be taken with a line or rope so as to hold securely and yet be readily released. It is bolted by the middle to a deck or mast, etc., or it may be lashed to a rope.
  • transitive verb To strengthen with a cleat.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A strip of wood or iron fastened on transversely to something in order to give strength, prevent warping, hold position, etc.
  • noun A continuous metal strip, or angled piece, used to secure metal components.
  • noun nautical A device to quickly affix a line or rope, and from which it is also easy to release.
  • noun A protrusion on the bottom of a shoe meant for better traction. (See cleats.)
  • verb To strengthen with a cleat.
  • verb nautical To tie off, affix, stopper a line or rope, especially to a cleat

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb secure on a cleat
  • noun a fastener (usually with two projecting horns) around which a rope can be secured
  • noun a strip of wood or metal used to strengthen the surface to which it is attached
  • noun a metal or leather projection (as from the sole of a shoe); prevents slipping
  • verb provide with cleats

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English clete, from Old English *clēat, lump, wedge.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English clete, from Old English clēat, from Proto-Germanic *klautaz (“firm lump”), from Proto-Indo-European *glei- (“to glue, stick together, form into a ball”). Cognate with Dutch kloot and German Kloß. See also clay and clout.

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Examples

  • "A man might or might not have many reasons for calling a cleat a timber noggin besides that of not knowing any better than to do so," I responded.

    Mr. Trunnell, Mate of the Ship "Pirate"

  • [Footnote: The cleat is a T-shaped mass of metal employed for the fastening of ropes.]

    Fragments of science, V. 1-2 John Tyndall 1856

  • In even small crashes I’ve had riders break a cleat or a buckle on their shoes.

    Ask Nick: Tire choice for an epic, re-gluing tubulars, post-crash replacements and more 2011

  • Two-thirds of the way up from the bottom of the corresponding edge of the matching flat there is a "cleat," or metal strip, into which the rope, or

    Writing for Vaudeville Brett Page

  • According to the DRAE, "tapón" is what is used in Argentina and Uruguay for "cleat".

    unknown title 2009

  • The cleat is a quick first check to determine what's mechanically wrong with a vehicle before wasting time hunting for potentially simple problems, "he says.

    All DN headlines 2009

  • I've seen people tie the boat to the dock then back it in breaking off the cleat.

    Tales From The Boat Ramp 2009

  • It's made of leather that has been dimpled like a wingtip but also has a recessed cleat that will attach to pedals—without clicking on the floor when walking.

    Beyond Spandex: Chic Styles for Cyclists Take Off Christina Binkley 2011

  • Speaking only for myself, I already feel like competitive athletics are sufficiently glamorized in more than enough venues, so I would much prefer if they kept their muddy cleat prints off of my comics, thank you very much.

    Audience development: Real 2009

  • I've seen people tie the boat to the dock then back it in breaking off the cleat.

    Tales From The Boat Ramp 2009

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