Brewer's: Marines

(2 syl.). Empty bottles. The marines were at one time looked down upon by the regular seamen, who considered them useless, like empty bottles. A marine officer was once dining at a mess-table, when the Duke of York said to the man in waiting, “Here, take away these marines.” The officer demanded an explanation, when the duke replied, “They have done their duty, and are prepared to do it again.”

“Tell that to the marines, the sailors won't believe it.” —SirW.Scott: Redgauntlet, chap. xiii.

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