bonsai army

noun

Etymology

In reference to the small size and decorative nature of bonsai plants.

Definitions

  1. A sovereign state's army or military force that is too small to fundamentally protect the…

    A sovereign state's army or military force that is too small to fundamentally protect the country, and could be considered to exist merely "for decoration".

    • Without Soviet support surrounding the missile crisis, Cuba's military would have been merely a bonsai army and they would have quickly succumbed to any serious invasion from the west.
  2. A tiny, largely-ornamental (military) structure bereft of the capability to effectively…

    A tiny, largely-ornamental (military) structure bereft of the capability to effectively carry out its constitutional missions.

  3. A military that covers the entire spectrum of capabilities, but has virtually no external…

    A military that covers the entire spectrum of capabilities, but has virtually no external military clout.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

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sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA