brigade

Everyday

1. A brigade is a big group of soldiers, part of an army. tree →
2. A brigade is an organised group of people who do a job together, like a fire brigade. tree →
3. Jokingly, a group of people with the same opinion: the umbrella brigade. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life and safety, the fire brigade (UK, Ireland, Australia) is the team of firefighters you call in an emergency. In history, brigades are parts of armies. Phrases: fire brigade, call the fire brigade, the boys' brigade.

Examples

• Call the fire brigade if there is a fire. tree →
• The fire brigade put out the fire quickly. tree →
• A brigade of soldiers marched into the town. tree →
• The firefighters showed us their brigade's engine. tree →
• Grandpa was in an army brigade long ago. tree →
• The tidy-up brigade cleared the classroom in five minutes. tree →
• There was a kind of sentry-house, where dwelt the venerable old superintendent of the fire brigade, who always arrived with the last engine. tree →

Note

Countable noun. In the USA people usually say the fire department; in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, fire brigade or fire service. Emergency numbers: 999 (UK, Ireland also 112), 911 (USA, Canada), 000 (Australia), 111 (New Zealand).