A small line composed of two strands a little twisted, used for winding around ropes and cables, to prevent their being weakened by fretting. [1913 Webster]
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.](Zoöl.)(a)A tropic bird.(b)A jager, or skua gull.
, v. t. Array
To wind marline around; as, to marline a rope. [1913 Webster]