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Synonyms

marl

1 American  
[mahrl] / mɑrl /

noun

  1. Geology. a friable earthy deposit consisting of clay and calcium carbonate, used especially as a fertilizer for soils deficient in lime.

  2. Archaic. earth.

verb (used with object)

  1. to fertilize with marl.

marl 2 American  
[mahrl] / mɑrl /

verb (used with object)

Nautical.

  1. to wind (a rope) with marline, every turn being secured by a hitch.

marl 1 British  
/ mɑːˈleɪʃəs, mɑːl /

noun

  1. a fine-grained sedimentary rock consisting of clay minerals, calcite or aragonite, and silt: used as a fertilizer

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. (tr) to fertilize (land) with marl

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
marl 2 British  
/ mɑːl /

verb

  1. nautical to seize (a rope) with marline, using a hitch at each turn

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
marl Scientific  
/ märl /

  1. A crumbly mixture of clays, calcium and magnesium carbonates, and remnants of shells that forms in both freshwater and marine environments.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of marl1

1325–75; Middle English marle < Middle Dutch < Old French < Medieval Latin margila, diminutive of Latin marga, said to be < Gaulish

Origin of marl2

1400–50; late Middle English marlyn to ensnare; akin to Old English mārels cable. See moor 2

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Florida-based veteran Barbie doll dealer Marl Davidson said prices have climbed about 25% in recent months.

From Reuters • Jul. 22, 2023

Marl Lane, who became lost behind enemy lines after the battle, also submitted an affidavit.

From Seattle Times • May 29, 2023

Police were called to The Marl in Grangetown, Cardiff, at about 19:30 BST on Thursday.

From BBC • Aug. 13, 2021

A native New Yorker and an early collaborator with hip-hop trailblazers like Marley Marl, Roxanne Shanté and Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie began as a teenage beatboxer and freestyle rapper.

From New York Times • Jul. 16, 2021

She kept looking up at Mrs. Marl, but her fingers were slyly holding out a note.

From "A Monster Calls" by Patrick Ness

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.