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Tell It to the Marines

What Does "Tell It to the Marines" Mean?

homeidiomsTell It to the Marines
"Tell it to the marines" is an English idiom. It is an expression of disbelief or skepticism, suggesting that a story or explanation is not credible.

Examples in Sentences

Here are three examples of the idiom "tell it to the marines" used in a sentence:
  • You saw a unicorn in your backyard? Tell it to the marines!
  • He tried to convince us that he could fly, but we all told him to tell it to the marines.
  • People often respond with 'Tell it to the marines' when they think someone is making up a story.
meaning for tell it to the marines

What Is an Idiom?

An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Tell It to the Marines" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.

An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.

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