# army and navy

idiom · Slang

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/army-and-navy
Updated: 2026-06-07

## Meaning

gravy

## Examples

- Please pass the army and navy for my mashed potatoes.
- The roast beef is quite dry, so I would appreciate some army and navy.
- He poured a generous amount of army and navy over his meal, savoring the rich flavor that completed the dish.

## Origin

As gravy was plentiful at mealtimes in both services.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.