cleat

noun

1. A strip of wood or iron fastened on transversely to something in order to give strength, prevent warping, hold position, etc.

   “[...] the people of that island erected lofty spars along the seacoast, to which the look-outs ascended by means of nailed cleats, something as fowls go upstairs in a hen-house.”

   “I had learned that cattle willingly walk down a ramp that has cleats to provide secure, nonslip footing.”

2. A continuous metal strip, or angled piece, used to secure metal components.
3. A device to quickly affix a line or rope, and from which it is also easy to release.
4. A protrusion on the bottom of a shoe or wheel meant for better traction.

   “Near-synonym: calk”

5. An athletic shoe equipped with cleats.

   “He needs to put on five pieces of gear: his helmet, left glove, right glove, left cleat, and right cleat.”

verb

1. To strengthen with a cleat.

   “An inner floor over the whole area of the deck provides a space for all the cable and pipe runs. On one side the cables are cleated into a duct which is sealed against the ingress of water and oil; the pipe lines run underneath the opposite side floor.”

2. To tie off, affix, stopper a line or rope, especially to a cleat.