bonsai army
A sovereign state's army or military force that is too small to fundamentally protect…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".
Meaning
3 sensesA 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.
A tiny, largely-ornamental (military) structure bereft of the capability to effectively carry out its constitutional missions.
A military that covers the entire spectrum of capabilities, but has virtually no external military clout.
Origin
In reference to the small size and decorative nature of bonsai plants.In reference to the small size and decorative nature of bonsai plants.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: bonsai armies| Singular | bonsai army |
|---|---|
| Plural | bonsai armies |
regular