bri ‧ gade /brɪˈɡeɪd/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Language: French ; Origin: Italian brigata , from brigare 'to fight' , from briga 'fighting' ]
1 . a large group of soldiers forming part of an army
2 . an insulting word for a group of people who have the same beliefs:
the anti-nuclear brigade
3 . a group of people who are organized to do something:
Snowmobile brigades delivered food and medicine.
⇨ ↑ fire brigade