marine

  • adjective 1 relating to the sea. 2 relating to shipping or naval matters.

  • noun a member of a body of troops trained to serve on land or sea, in particular (in the UK) a member of the Royal Marines or (in the US) a member of the Marine Corps.

  — PHRASES tell that to the marines a scornful expression of disbelief. referring to the horse marines, an imaginary corps of cavalrymen employed to serve as marines (thus out of their element).

  — ORIGIN Latin marinus, from mare ‘sea’.

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