merchant navy
noun (British English)(North American English merchant marine)
[countable + singular or plural verb]a country’s commercial ships and the people who work on them （国家的）商船队；全体商船船员 CultureThe British merchant navy was very important during both world wars for the continued supply of goods to Britain from abroad, and many of its ships were sunk by enemy submarines.see also the Battle of the AtlanticTopics War and conflictc2