Cleat (noun)
Kl-eet
A T-shaped piece of metal or wood on a boat or ship, to which ropes are attached.
Each of a number of projections on the sole of a shoe, designed to prevent the wearer losing their footing.
Middle English (in the sense ‘wedge’): of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch kloot ‘ball, sphere’ and German Kloss ‘clod, dumpling’, also to clot and clout.
Example sentences
“The cleats meant the soles didn’t slip on the cyclists pedals.”
“Just tie it off to the cleats and the boat will be secure.”