marline spike

1 definition found

marline spike - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Marline \Mar"line\, n. [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, v., 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.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
         [1913 Webster]