marine mine

ma`rine´ mine`

n.

1.

(Mil.) A military explosive device designed to be placed on or under the surface of a body of water, and to explode when ships pass nearby or come in contact with it. Its function is to destroy enemy ships or deny hostile naval forces access to certain areas of the sea, usually near the shoreline. Also called underwater mine and floating mine, and previously referred to as a torpedo (See torpedo{2} (a)).

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

marine mine - an explosive mine designed to destroy ships that bump into it floating mine magnetic mine - (nautical) a marine mine that is detonated by a mechanism that responds to magnetic material (as the steel hull of a ship) mine - explosive device that explodes on contact; designed to destroy vehicles or ships or to kill or maim personnel