marline

or mar·lin, mar·ling

[ mahr-lin ]

/ ˈmɑr lɪn /

Save This Word!

noun Nautical.

small stuff of two-fiber strands, sometimes tarred, laid up left-handed.

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON "IS" VS. "ARE"

"Is" it time for a new quiz? "Are" you ready? Then prove your excellent skills on using "is" vs. "are."

Question 1 of 7

IS and ARE are both forms of which verb?

have

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of marline

First recorded in 1375–1425, marline is from the late Middle English word merlin.See marl², line¹

Words nearby marline

Marlborough leg, marled, Marlene, Marley, marlin, marline, marlinespike, marlite, Marlon, Marlovian, Marlowe

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use marline in a sentence

The shot hit—of that both Marline and Paul Pringle were certain, but what damage was done they could not determine.
True Blue|W.H.G. Kingston
Send all the supernumeraries on board the Gazelle, Mr Marline, bag and baggage, will ye?
The Cruise of the Midge (Vol. I of 2)|Michael Scott
The eye may be finished neatly by whipping all around with yarn or marline, and will then appear as in Fig. 90 B.
Knots, Splices and Rope Work|A. Hyatt Verrill
Then divide the strands, taper them down, and whip the whole with yarn or marline (Fig. 94).
Knots, Splices and Rope Work|A. Hyatt Verrill

Each left a hook in the knot of the inner buntline, as he went out, and dropped the ball of marline on deck.
Homeward Bound|James Fenimore Cooper

British Dictionary definitions for marline

marline

marlin less commonly marling (ˈmɑːlɪŋ)

/ (ˈmɑːlɪn) /

noun

nautical a light rope, usually tarred, made of two strands laid left-handed

Word Origin for marline

C15: from Dutch marlijn, from marren to tie + lijn line

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