mothball fleet

noun

: an aggregate of inactivated preserved warships that can be commissioned and made ready for war in a few months
specifically : the U.S. Navy Reserve Fleet
the entrance of the battleship … into the mothball fleet All Hands

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Cite this Entry

“Mothball fleet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mothball%20fleet. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

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