marine

n. [ F. marin a sea solider, marine naval economy, a marine picture, fr. L. marinus. See Marine, a. ] 1. A solider serving on shipboard; a sea soldier; one of a body of troops trained to do duty in the navy. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Specifically: A member of the United States Marine Corps, or a similar foreign military force. [ PJC ]

3. The sum of naval affairs; naval economy; the department of navigation and sea forces; the collective shipping of a country; as, the mercantile marine. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A picture representing some marine subject. [ 1913 Webster ]

Tell that to the marines, an expression of disbelief, the marines being regarded by sailors as credulous. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. mariné. ] (Her.) Having the lower part of the body like a fish. Crabb. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Mil.) A military explosive device designed to be placed on or under the surface of a body of water, and to explode when ships pass nearby or come in contact with it. Its function is to destroy enemy ships or deny hostile naval forces access to certain areas of the sea, usually near the shoreline. Also called underwater mine and floating mine, and previously referred to as a torpedo (See torpedo{ 2 } (a)). [ PJC ]

n. [ F. marinier, LL. marinarius. See Marine. ] One whose occupation is to assist in navigating ships; a seaman or sailor. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Mariner's compass. See under Compass. [ 1913 Webster ]