clevis

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a coupler shaped like the letter U with holes through each end so a bolt or pin can pass through the holes to complete the coupling; used to attach a drawbar to a plow or wagon or trailer etc.

Etymology

First attested in the 1590s. Ultimately related to cleave. Exact origin unknown; probably derived from the verb cleave. If so, the word ultimately may stem from Scandinavian: compare Old Norse kljúfa (“to split”), Old Norse klofi (“a forked stick”).

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