Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
cam·paign  campaign  campaigncampaign  /kæmˈpeɪn/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[kam-peyn] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1. Military.
a. military operations for a specific objective.
b. Obsolete. the military operations of an army in the field for one season.
2. a systematic course of aggressive activities for some specific purpose: a sales campaign.
3. the competition by rival political candidates and organizations for public office.
–verb (used without object)
4. to serve in or go on a campaign: He planned to campaign for the candidate. He campaigned in France.
–verb (used with object)
5. to race (a horse, boat, car, etc.) in a number or series of competitions.
[Origin: 1620–30; < F campagne < It campagna < LL campānia level district, equiv. to L camp(us) field + -ān(us) -an + -ia -iacampaign]

—Related forms
cam·paign·er, noun

—Synonyms 2. drive, effort, push, offensive.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
cam·paign  campaign  campaign   (kām-pān')  Pronunciation Key 
n.  
  1. A series of military operations undertaken to achieve a large-scale objective during a war: Grant's Vicksburg campaign secured the entire Mississippi for the Union.
  2. An operation or series of operations energetically pursued to accomplish a purpose: an advertising campaign for a new product; a candidate's political campaign.

intr.v.   cam·paigned, cam·paign·ing, cam·paigns
To engage in an operation planned to achieve a certain goal: campaigned through the jungles of Vietnam; campaigned for human rights.


[French campagne, from Italian campagna, field, military operation, from Late Latin campānia, open country, battlefield, from Latin campus, field.]

cam·paign'er n.
Synonyms: These nouns denote a vigorous concerted effort to accomplish a purpose: a fund-raising campaign; a crusade for improved social services; a drive to sell bonds; a push to get the bill passed.
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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
campaign 
1647, from Fr., campagne "open country," from O.Fr. champagne "open country" (suited to military maneuvers), similar to It. campagna, from L.L. campania "level country," from L. campus "a field" (see campus). Old armies spent winters in quarters and took to the "open field" to seek battle in summer. Extension of meaning from military to political is Amer.Eng. 1809. The verb is first attested 1701.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
campaign

noun
1.  a race between candidates for elective office; "I managed his campaign for governor"; "he is raising money for a Senate run" [syn: political campaign] 
2.  a series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end; "he supported populist campaigns"; "they worked in the cause of world peace"; "the team was ready for a drive toward the pennant"; "the movement to end slavery"; "contributed to the war effort" 
3.  several related operations aimed at achieving a particular goal (usually within geographical and temporal constraints) 
4.  an overland journey by hunters (especially in Africa) 

verb
1.  run, stand, or compete for an office or a position; "Who's running for treasurer this year?" 
2.  exert oneself continuously, vigorously, or obtrusively to gain an end or engage in a crusade for a certain cause or person; be an advocate for; "The liberal party pushed for reforms"; "She is crusading for women's rights"; "The Dean is pushing for his favorite candidate" [syn: crusade] 
3.  go on a campaign; go off to war 

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary (Beta Version) - Cite This Source - Share This
campaign1 [kӕmˈpein] noun
the operations of an army while fighting in one area or for one purpose
Example: the Burma campaign in the Second World War
Arabic: حَمْلَةٌ عَسْكَرِيَّه
Chinese (Simplified): 战役
Chinese (Traditional): 戰役
Czech: tažení
Danish: kampagne; felttog
Dutch: veldtocht
Estonian: kampaania
Finnish: sotaretki
French: campagne
German: der Feldzug
Greek: εκστρατεία
Hungarian: hadjárat
Icelandic: herferð
Indonesian: perang
Italian: campagna
Japanese: 作戦
Korean: 군사 행동
Latvian: kampaņa; karagājiens
Lithuanian: karo žygis, kampanija
Norwegian: felttog, kampanje
Polish: kampania
Portuguese (Brazil): campanha
Portuguese (Portugal): campanha
Romanian: campanie
Russian: кампания
Slovak: ťaženie
Slovenian: vojaški pohod
Spanish: campaña
Swedish: fälttåg
Turkish: sefer, askerî harekât
campaign2 [kӕmˈpein] noun
a series of organized actions in support of a cause
Example: a campaign against smoking
Arabic: حَمْلَةٌ (سِياسِيَّه , * إعلامِيَّه)
Chinese (Simplified): 运动
Chinese (Traditional): 運動
Czech: kampaň
Danish: kampagne
Dutch: campagne
Estonian: kampaania
Finnish: kampanja
French: campagne
German: die Kampagne
Greek: εκστρατεία (π.χ. κατά του καπνίσματος)
Hungarian: mozgalom, kampány
Icelandic: herferð
Indonesian: kampanye
Italian: campagna
Japanese: 運動
Korean: (정치·선거) 운동
Latvian: kampaņa
Lithuanian: kampanija, vajus
Norwegian: kampanje
Polish: kampania
Portuguese (Brazil): campanha
Portuguese (Portugal): campanha
Romanian: cam­pa­nie
Russian: кампания
Slovak: kampaň
Slovenian: kampanja
Spanish: campaña
Swedish: kampanj
Turkish: kampanya
campaign [kӕmˈpein] verb
to take part in a campaign
Example: He has campaigned against smoking for years.
Arabic: يَقومُ بِحَمْلَةٍ
Chinese (Simplified): 参加运动
Chinese (Traditional): 參加運動
Czech: agitovat
Danish: føre en kampagne
Dutch: campagne voeren
Estonian: kampaaniast osa võtma
Finnish: kampanjoida
French: faire campagne
German: zu Felde ziehen
Greek: παίρνω μέρος σε εκστρατεία
Hungarian: mozgalomban részt vesz; kampányol
Icelandic: heyja baráttu fyrir, berjast
Indonesian: berkampanye
Italian: fare una campagna*
Japanese: ～運動に参加する
Korean: 운동을 하다
Latvian: sarīkot kampaņu; piedalīties kampaņā
Lithuanian: vykdyti kampaniją, agituoti
Norwegian: delta i et felttog, *kampanje, aksjonere
Polish: prowadzić kampanię
Portuguese (Brazil): fazer campanha
Portuguese (Portugal): fazer campanha
Romanian: a par­­­ti­cipa la o campanie
Russian: проводить кампанию
Slovak: viesť kampaň
Slovenian: boriti se
Spanish: hacer campaña
Swedish: delta i (organisera) en kampanj
Turkish: mücadele etmek
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary (Beta Version), © 2000-2006 K Dictionaries Ltd.