cleat
cleat Lexical Profile
cleat Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American A projection on the sole of an athletic shoe designed to provide traction, or (usually in the plural) the shoe itself.
"He spent the afternoon scraping mud off his soccer cleats before the championship match."
A T-shaped piece of metal or wood, typically found on a boat or dock, to which ropes are attached for securing a vessel.
"She securely tied the mooring line to the wooden cleat on the dock before disembarking."
A strip of wood or metal fastened across a surface to provide support, secure a joint, or serve as a foothold.
"The carpenter screwed a wooden cleat to the wall to support the heavy upper cabinets."
• verb
To fasten or secure a rope or line to a cleat.
"As soon as the sailboat reached the slip, the deckhand scrambled to cleat the bowline."
To provide or equip a surface or an item of footwear with cleats for better grip or support.
"The manufacturer decided to cleat the bottom of the winter boots to prevent slipping on icy pavements."
Word Nuance & Usage
In North America, 'cleats' frequently refers to the entire athletic shoe worn for field sports, whereas in British English, the term 'studs' is more commonly used for the projections and 'boots' for the shoes themselves.
• Rhymes for cleat
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'cleet', meaning a wedge or piece of wood, of Germanic origin. Cognate with Dutch 'kloot' (lump) and German 'Klotz' (block).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.