horse-marines

Definition

Noun (plural only): - An imaginary military unit: "horse-marines" refers to a fictional or absurd cavalry branch of the marines, used humorously to denote something that does not exist or is impossible.

Usage Examples

• (A humorous reference to a nonexistent military unit.)
• (Emphasizing the absurdity of the claim.)

Advanced Usage

• "tell it to the horse-marines": an idiomatic expression meaning that a statement is so incredible or false that it should be directed at a mythical, gullible audience.
  • You expect me to believe you won the lottery twice? Tell it to the horse-marines! (I do not believe you; your story is absurd.)

Variants and Related Words

• Horse marine (singular, rare): a member of this imaginary unit.
  • He joked that his grandfather was a horse marine. (A fictional soldier.)

Synonyms

• Impossible thing: something that cannot exist.
• Fiction: a fabrication or invention.

Related Idioms

• Tell it to the marines: a similar idiom meaning "I do not believe you; try convincing someone more naive."
  • You found a unicorn? Tell it to the marines! (Express disbelief.)