/bri gayd"/ , n. , v. , brigaded, brigading .
n.
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. a group of individuals organized for a particular purpose: a fire brigade; a rescue brigade.
4. See bucket brigade .
5. Hist. a convoy of canoes, sleds, wagons, or pack animals, esp. as used to supply trappers in the 18th- and 19th-century Canadian and U.S. fur trade.
v.t.
6. to form into a brigade.
7. to group together.
[ 1630-40; brigata company of soldiers, orig. group, band, equiv. to brig ( are ) prob. to associate (with), be together (obs. sense) (see BRIGAND) + -ata -ADE 1 ]