# bent on a splice

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/bent-on-a-splice
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

About to be married.

## Examples

- They're bent on a splice next spring.
- After ten years together, my sister is finally bent on a splice and planning the wedding.
- The old sailor, bent on a splice with the harbourmaster's daughter, spent his last coin on a modest ring.

## 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. (disputed)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.