Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A pointed metal spike, used to separate strands of rope or wire in splicing.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun Nautical, a pointed iron implement used to separate the strands of rope in splicing, and as a lever in putting on seizings, etc. Also written
marlinspike and marlingspike. - noun A jäger, a species of Stercorarius: so called (by sailors) from the long pointed middle tail-feathers.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A
tool , consisting of a pointed metal spike, used to manipulate the strands of rope or cable whensplicing
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a pointed iron hand tool that is used to separate strands of a rope or cable (as in splicing)
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
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Examples
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A piece of wood showed among the rubble on the desk, the blunt end of a marlinespike.
A Breath of Snow and Ashes Gabaldon, Diana 2005
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She kept hold of the marlinespike, but her wrists quivered, and she lowered it.
A Breath of Snow and Ashes Gabaldon, Diana 2005
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She took two long steps and seized the marlinespike, yanking it off the desk in a shower of rubbish and clanging oddments.
A Breath of Snow and Ashes Gabaldon, Diana 2005
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For every thumb was a marlinespike and every finger a fid
Old Fid 1999
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Ronica nodded at Rache, but did not put down the marlinespike.
The Mad Ship Hobb, Robin 1999
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It had been Captain Vestrit's conceit to keep a marlinespike on the corner of his desk.
The Mad Ship Hobb, Robin 1999
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Brashen had once worked on a ship where the mate was a bit too free with his marlinespike.
Ship Of Magic Hobb, Robin 1998
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Everything from tobacco sacks and cigarette papers to a spare cinch and a rope, from a change of clothes to a picture of his family or his girl, from old letters and reading material to a marlinespike, was kept in it.
This Calder Range Janet Dailey 1982
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Everything from tobacco sacks and cigarette papers to a spare cinch and a rope, from a change of clothes to a picture of his family or his girl, from old letters and reading material to a marlinespike, was kept in it.
This Calder Range Janet Dailey 1982
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He did so, and had it not been that a writ of Habeas Corpus was immediately sworn out, the Deptford tailor would most certainly have exchanged his needle for a marlinespike.
john commented on the word marlinespike
"A pointed iron or steel hand tool carried by deck hands (Boatswain’s Mates particularly.) Normally no shorter than 6 inches and no longer than 18, marline spikes are used in various shipboard tasks including separating the strands of line and prying open diverse shipboard containers. Marlinespikes are also used as screwdrivers, hammers, paint-chippers, eating utensils, or tea and coffee-stirrers."
- rubbermice.com
February 27, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word marlinespike
Hm. I always thought this was spelled marlinspike.
February 27, 2008