marlinespike

American

[mahr-lin-spahyk] / ˈmɑr lɪnˌspaɪk /

Also marlinspike,

noun

Nautical.

a pointed iron implement used in separating the strands of rope in splicing, marling, etc.

marlinespike British

/ ˈmɑːlɪnˌspaɪk, ˈmɑːlɪŋˌspaɪk /

noun

nautical a pointed metal tool used as a fid, spike, and for various other purposes

"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

Etymology

Origin of marlinespike

1620–30; originally marling spike. See marl ², -ing ¹, spike ¹

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.

The Academy's first Cuban student, he graduated 126th among 467 in the class of 1920, and was more noted for his "silken line" with debutantes than for marlinespike seamanship.

From Time Magazine Archive

Last week, when the imprisoned officer was paroled in time for Christmas, the Navy sank its marlinespike even deeper by dunning him for $3,777.

From Time Magazine Archive

Nature, however, at last gave way, and if we stopped for a moment we went fast asleep with a rope or marlinespike in our hands.

From Peter Trawl The Adventures of a Whaler by Durden, James

Otie recovered his marlinespike and began to pound the eye-bolt.

From Blow The Man Down A Romance Of The Coast - 1916 by Day, Holman

The ship's bell was struck with a muffled marlinespike as Stirling stood in patient idleness.

From The Ice Pilot by Leverage, Henry

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