| Crusade | n. [ F. croisade, fr. Pr. crozada, or Sp cruzada, or It. crociata, from a verb signifying to take the cross, mark one's self with a cross, fr. L. crux cross; or possibly taken into English directly fr. Pr. Cf. Croisade, Crosado, and see Cross. ] 1. Any one of the military expeditions undertaken by Christian powers, in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries, for the recovery of the Holy Land from the Muslims. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. Any enterprise undertaken with zeal and enthusiasm; as, a crusade against intemperance. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. A Portuguese coin. See Crusado. [ 1913 Webster ] |