Hypertext Webster Gateway: "marline"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
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.
{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.] (Zo["o]l.)
(a) A tropic bird.
(b) A jager, or skua gull.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Marline \Mar"line\, v. t. [F. merliner.] (Naut.)
To wind marline around; as, to marline a rope.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
marline
n : a small usually tarred line of 2 strands
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