Marline

Part of speech: noun (n.)

1. A small line composed of two strands a little twisted, used for winding around ropes and cables, to prevent their being weakened by fretting. 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. Etym: [The name alludes to the long middle tail feathers.] (Zoöl.)

2. A tropic bird. (b) A jager, or skua gull.

Part of speech: verb (v.)

To wind marline around; as, to marline a rope.