splice (splis)

t.; pret. and pp. spliced, ppr. splicing. [= OF. * espli er, espi er, F. épi er = Sw. spli a = Dan. splidse, spledse, spleise, splice, MD. spli en, an a imilated form of * splitsen, D. splitsen, splice; so called with ref. to the splitting of the strands of the rope; with formative -s, MD. split ten, splijten, D. splijten, split, = MHG. splizen, G. splei en, split: see split. The G. spli en, splitzen, splice, may be a secondary form of splei en, split, and this itself the source of the OF. and the D., Sw., etc., forms; or it may be from the D.] 1. To unite or join together, as two ropes or the parts of a rope by interweaving the strands of the ends; also, to unite or join together by overlapping, as two pieces of timber, metal, or other material. See splice, n. When the long tale, renew'd when last they met, Is spliced anew, and is unfinish'd yet. Crabbe , Works, II. 164. 2. To join in marriage; marry. [Slang.] Alfred and I intended to be married in this way almost from the first; we never meant to be spliced in the humdrum way of other people. Charlotte Brontë , Villette, xl. Spliced eye. Same as eye- splice. Splicing-clamp, a clamp used to hold the ends or parts to be spliced. - To splice the main-brace. See main - brace.