brigade

American  

[bri-geyd] / brɪˈgeɪd /

noun

1. a military unit having its own headquarters and consisting of two or more regiments, squadrons, groups, or battalions.

2. a large body of troops.

3. Digital Technology. cybermob.

4. a group of individuals organized for a particular purpose: a rescue brigade.

   a fire brigade;

   a rescue brigade.

5. bucket brigade.

6. History/Historical. a convoy of canoes, sleds, wagons, or pack animals, especially as used to supply trappers in the 18th- and 19th-century Canadian and U.S. fur trade.

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verb (used with object)

brigaded, brigading

1. to form into a brigade.

2. to group together.

verb (used with or without object)

brigaded, brigading

1. Digital Technology. to engage in online brigading.

brigade British  

/ brɪˈɡeɪd /

noun

1. a formation of fighting units, together with support arms and services, smaller than a division and usually commanded by a brigadier

2. a group of people organized for a certain task

   a rescue brigade

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verb

1. to organize into a brigade

2. to put or group together

Other Word Forms

• interbrigade adjective
• subbrigade noun

Etymology

Origin of brigade

First recorded in 1630–40; from French, from Old Italian brigata “company of soldiers,” originally “group, band,” equivalent to brig(are) probably “to associate (with), be together” (obsolete sense), probably of Celtic origin; brigand + -ata -ade ¹

Example Sentences

Earlier this year, thousands of American Marines and sailors came together with Japan’s amphibious brigade for weekslong drills in southwest Japan.

From The Wall Street Journal

They may be joined later by another Marine Expeditionary Unit as well as command elements and a combat brigade from the Army’s 82nd Airborne.

From The Wall Street Journal

After Farmer went to see what had happened, she described seeing "at least five ambulances", a police helicopter and the fire brigade.

From BBC

The fire brigade in Dresden says this is the city's largest evacuation to date for such an incident, affecting around 18,000 residents, tourists and commuters.

From BBC

As opportunities to flex their military might diminished, samurai instead became landed gentry, taking on bureaucratic roles as tax agents, heads of fire brigades and land managers.

From The Wall Street Journal