bare navy

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

The situation where available food is limited to basic service rations.

Register: slang

Examples

"Three weeks we had been at sea on bare Navy, when we dropped anchor off Porthaven," said Long Jim. "Bare Navy, you understand, is regulation rations and nothing else, the canteen having run dry; […]

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “bare navy” mean?

The situation where available food is limited to basic service rations.

Is “bare navy” formal or informal?

bare navy is generally slang.