marlinespike
9.9
A pointed metal tool used to separate rope strands before joining them
- noun
- /ˈmɑr.lɪnˌspaɪk/
- Specialized
:
pua de marlin
- The sailor used a marlinespike to splice the two ropes together.
Examples
-
She carefully separated the strands of the thick cable with a marlinespike.
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To repair the rigging, he reached for a marlinespike from his toolkit.
-
Get a marlinespike.
-
His teeth are marlinespikes.
-
Marlinespikes?
Synonyms
1
9.9
A pointed metal tool sailors use to open rope strands to join them
is used generally rather than being limited to sailors
1
9.9
A pointed metal tool for separating rope strands when joining ropes
specifies iron as the material rather than any metal
1
9.9
A small pointed tool used to separate rope strands when splicing or fixing them
is pointed in shape rather than being small and tapered
Surface Forms
marlinespike singular
marlinespikes plural
Morphology
Etymology
Marlinespike comes from the thin rope called marline and the word spike, meaning 'pointed tool'. Sailors used this pointed iron tool to open the parts of a rope when they joined rope ends, so the name shows exactly what the tool does.