Tell that to the Marines
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
See HORSE MARINES. In nautical parlance a greenhorn or a land- lubber afloat is often called "a marine" in contempt. See JOLLY.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Tell that to the Marines” mean?
See HORSE MARINES. In nautical parlance a greenhorn or a land- lubber afloat is often called "a marine" in contempt. See JOLLY.
Is “Tell that to the Marines” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.