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Webster 1913 Edition


Marline

Mar′line

,
Noun.
[LG.
marlien
,
marling
, or D.
marling
,
marlijn
, fr. D.
marren
to tie, prob. akin to E.
moor
, v., and
lijn
line: cf.F.
merlin
. See
Moor
,
Verb.
,
Line
.]
(Naut.)
A small line composed of two strands a little twisted, used for winding around ropes and cables, to prevent their being weakened by fretting.
Marline spike
,
Marling spike
(Naut.)
,
an iron tool tapering to a point, used to separate the strands of a rope in splicing and in marling. It has an eye in the thick end to which a lanyard is attached. See
Fid
.
[Written also
marlin spike
]
Marline-spike bird
.
[The name alludes to the long middle tail feathers.]
(Zool.)
(a)
A tropic bird.
(b)
A jager, or skua gull.

Mar′line

,
Verb.
T.
[F.
merliner
.]
(Naut.)
To wind marline around;
as, to
marline
a rope
.

Webster 1828 Edition


Marline

M`ARLINE

,
Noun.
A small line composed of two strands little twisted,and either tarred or white; used for winding round ropes and cables,to prevent their being fretted by the blocks, &c.

M`ARLINE

,
Verb.
T.
To wind marline round a rope.

Definition 2024


marline

marline

English

Noun

marline (plural marlines)

  1. A light cord or rope used to bind the end of a larger rope, to prevent fraying.
    • 1749 (Sunday 26th May), John Newton's journal
      A young man, who has been the whole voyage out of irons, first on account of a large ulcer, and since for his seeming good behaviour, gave them a large marline spike down the gratings, but was happily seen by one of the people.
  2. Twine used similarly.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

marline (third-person singular simple present marlines, present participle marlining, simple past and past participle marlined)

  1. (nautical) To wind marline around.
    to marline a rope

Anagrams