The AI-powered English dictionary
plural crusades
(historical) Any of the Papally-endorsed military expeditions undertaken by the Christians of Latin Europe in the 11th to 13th centuries to reconquer the Levant from the Muslims, as well as expeditions along the Baltic Sea and against the Cathars. quotations
Their way lay through the hall, where hung the helm of many a bold forefather, and arms that had seen service even in the crusades.
1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “Arrived at Home”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], page 87
(especially) papal-sanctioned military campaigns against infidels or heretics. examples
(figuratively) A grand concerted effort toward some purportedly worthy cause. examples
(politics, Protestantism, dated) A mass gathering in a political campaign or during a religious revival effort. quotations examples
The same period that has seen social and political crusades increasingly replace religious messages in the pulpits has seen a sharp 35 percent decline in membership of the mainline Protestant denominations associated with the National Council of Churches.
1994, Richard Nixon, “America Beyond Peace”, in Beyond Peace, New York: Random House, page 239
(archaic) A Portuguese coin; a crusado.
third-person singular simple present crusades, present participle crusading, simple past and past participle crusaded
(intransitive) To go on a military crusade. examples
(intransitive) To make a grand concerted effort toward some purportedly worthy cause. examples