*arlin*

n. [ Dim., fr. carl male. ] An old woman. [ Scot. & Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

[ F. carline, It., Sp., & Pg., carlina. Said to be so called from the Emperor Charlemagne, whose army is reputed to have used it as a remedy for pestilence. ] (Bot.) A prickly plant of the genus Carlina (Carlina vulgaris), found in Europe and Asia. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ n. [ Cf. F. carlingur, Sp. Pg., & It. carlinga. ] (Naut.) A short timber running lengthwise of a ship, from one transverse desk beam to another; also, one of the cross timbers that strengthen a hath; -- usually in pl. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. Same as Carl, 3. [ 1913 Webster ]

Carling Sunday, a Sunday in Lent when carls are eaten. In some parts of England, Passion Sunday. See Carl, 4. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ , n. [ F. carin; cf. It. carlino; -- so called from Carlo (Charles) VI. of Naples. ] A silver coin once current in some parts of Italy, worth about seven cents. Simmonds. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. derling, deorling, AS. deórling; deóre dear + -ling. See Dear, and -ling. ] One dearly beloved; a favorite. [ 1913 Webster ]

And can do naught but wail her darling's loss. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Dearly beloved; regarded with especial kindness and tenderness; favorite. “Some darling science.” I. Watts. “Darling sin.” Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL. Named after Dr. William Darlington, a botanist of West Chester, Penn. ] (Bot.) A genus of California pitcher plants consisting of a single species. The long tubular leaves are hooded at the top, and frequently contain many insects drowned in the secretion of the leaves. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A darling. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being early or forward; promptness. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) The American great marbled godwit (Limosa fedoa). Applied also to the red-breasted godwit (Limosa haematica). [ 1913 Webster ]

2. [ from marlin spike, the shape of its bill. ] Any of several marine billfishes of the genera Makaira and Tetrapturus, popular as game in sport fishing. [ PJC ]

Hook-billed marlin, a curlew. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LG. marlien, marling, or D. marling, marlijn, fr. D. marren to tie, prob. akin to E. moor, v., and lijn line: cf.F. merlin. See Moor, v., Line. ] (Naut.) 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. ] (Zool.) (a) A tropic bird. (b) A jager, or skua gull. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ F. merliner. ] (Naut.) To wind marline around; as, to marline a rope. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. pl. [ Prob. a corruption of purflings. See Purfle. ] A kind of lace of silk or thread. [ Scot. ] Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A sheep but once sheared. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. & n. from Snarl, v. [ 1913 Webster ]

Snarling iron, a tool with a long beak, used in the process of snarling. When one end is held in a vise, and the shank is struck with a hammer, the repercussion of the other end, or beak, within the article worked upon gives the requisite blow for producing raised work. See 1st Snarl. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Akin to G. spierling, spiering, D. spiering: cf. F. éperlan. ] (Zool.) (a) The European smelt (Osmerus eperlanus). (b) A young salmon. (c) A tern. [ Scot. & Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. sterlyng, a dim. of OE. stare, AS. staer; akin to AS. stearn, G. star, staar, OHG. stara, Icel. starri, stari, Sw. stare, Dan. staer, L. sturnus. Cf. Stare a starling. ] 1. (Zool.) Any passerine bird belonging to Sturnus and allied genera. The European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is dark brown or greenish black, with a metallic gloss, and spotted with yellowish white. It is a sociable bird, and builds about houses, old towers, etc. Called also stare, and starred. The pied starling of India is Sternopastor contra. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) A California fish; the rock trout. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A structure of piles driven round the piers of a bridge for protection and support; -- called also sterling. [ 1913 Webster ]

Rose-colored starling. (Zool.) See Pastor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One often quarreled with; -- &unr_; word coined, perhaps, to rhyme with darling. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Better be an old man's darling than a young man's warling. Camde&unr_;. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. A guttural pronunciation of the letter r; a burr. See Burr, n., 6. [ 1913 Webster ]

A strange, uncouth wharling in their speech. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Year + -ling. ] An animal one year old, or in the second year of its age; -- applied chiefly to cattle, sheep, and horses. [ 1913 Webster ]