English Reference
Idiom idiom

bent on a splice


About to be married.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

They're bent on a splice next spring.

CONTEXTUAL

After ten years together, my sister is finally bent on a splice and planning the wedding.

COMPLEX

The old sailor, bent on a splice with the harbourmaster's daughter, spent his last coin on a modest ring.


disputed origin

Possibly a pun on the nautical terms *bent on* and *bend*, the expression refers to the act of joining two ropes to make one via a splice. The etymology remains uncertain, resting on the linguistic overlap between the maritime task of securing a line and the structural union of a splice.


Related idioms4entries
  1. 01

    bent on

    Completely determined; obstinate.

  2. 02

    get bent

    Used to dismiss a person or what they are saying, and end the conversation.

  3. 03

    get bent out of shape

    To take offense; to become angry, agitated, or upset.

  4. 04

    splice the mainbrace

    To have an alcoholic drink.

Last updated August 10, 2026