cru·sade (krū-sād')
n.

1. often Crusade Any of the military expeditions undertaken by European Christians in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries to recover the Holy Land from the Muslims.
2. A holy war undertaken with papal sanction.
3. A vigorous concerted movement for a cause or against an abuse. See synonyms at campaign.

intr.v., -sad·ed, -sad·ing, -sades.
To engage in a crusade.

[French croisade and Spanish cruzada, both ultimately from Latin crux, cruc-, cross.]

crusader cru·sad'er n.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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