crowd

crowd

crowd¹ [kroud]

vi.

[ME crouden < OE crudan, to press, drive, akin to MHG kroten, to oppress < IE base * greut-, to compel, press > CURD, Ir gruth, curdled milk]

1. to press, push, or squeeze

2. to push one's way (forward, into, through, etc.)

3. to come together in a large group; throng

vt.

1. to press, push, or shove

2. to press or force closely together; cram

3. to fill too full; occupy to excess, as by pressing or thronging

4.

a) to be or press very near to

☆ b) Baseball to stand very close to (the plate) in batting

5. Informal to put (a person) under pressure or stress, as by dunning or harassing

n.

1. a large number of people or things gathered closely together

2. the common people; the masses

☆ 3. Informal a group of people having something in common; set; clique

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crowd on sail or crowd sail

to put up an unusually large number of sails in order to increase the ship's speed

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crowd out

to force (someone or something) out of a limited space by arriving or appearing there

crowded

adj.

SYN.- CROWD¹ is applied to an assembly of persons or things in close proximity or densely packed together and may suggest lack of order, loss of personal identity, etc. [crowds lined the street ]; THRONG specifically suggests a moving crowd of people pushing one another [throngs of celebrators at Times Square ]; MULTITUDE stresses greatness of number in referring to persons or things assembled or considered together [a multitude arrayed against him ]; SWARM¹ suggests a large, continuously moving group [a swarm of sightseers ]; MOB, properly applied to a disorderly or lawless crowd, is an abusive term when used to describe the masses or any specific group of people; HOST³ specifically suggests a large organized body marshaled together but may be used generally of any sizable group considered collectively [he has a host of friends ]; HORDE specifically refers to any large predatory band [a horde of office seekers ]

crowd² [kroud]

n.

[ME croud < Welsh crwth < IE * krut-, arch, breast, belly < base * (s)kreu-, round > MIr cruind, round]

1. CRWTH

2. [Brit. Dial.] a violin