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.
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.
© Webster 1913.
Mar"line (?), v. t. [F. merliner.] Naut.
To wind marline around; as, to marline a rope.
© Webster 1913.