1. members of the Nazi paramilitary organization (SA) that wore brown uniforms in 1920s-1930s Germany
Usage: historical
2. fascist or authoritarian militants or supporters
Usage: by extension; often derogatory

Examples

• The brownshirts played a key role in Hitler’s rise to power.
• Violence by the brownshirts increased throughout the early 1930s.
• The SA brownshirts were eventually purged during the Night of the Long Knives.
• Historians study the tactics used by the brownshirts to intimidate opponents.
• The documentary examined how the brownshirts helped destabilize the Weimar Republic.
• Critics accused the group of acting like modern-day brownshirts.
• The rise of the brownshirts marked a turning point in German politics.