stampede

[ stam-peed ]
See synonyms for: stampedestampededstampeding on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a sudden, frenzied rush or headlong flight of a herd of frightened animals, especially cattle or horses.

  2. any headlong general flight or rush.

  1. Western U.S., Canada. a celebration, usually held annually, combining a rodeo, contests, exhibitions, dancing, etc.

verb (used without object),stam·ped·ed, stam·ped·ing.
  1. to scatter or flee in a stampede: People stampeded from the burning theater.

  2. to make a general rush: On hearing of the sale, they stampeded to the store.

verb (used with object),stam·ped·ed, stam·ped·ing.
  1. to cause to stampede.

  2. to rush or overrun (a place): Customers stampeded the stores.

Origin of stampede

1
An Americanism first recorded in 1815–25; from Spanish estampida, equivalent to estamp(ar) “to stamp” + -ida noun suffix

Other words from stampede

  • stam·ped·er, noun
  • un·stam·ped·ed, adjective

Words Nearby stampede

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use stampede in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for stampede

stampede

/ (stæmˈpiːd) /


noun
  1. an impulsive headlong rush of startled cattle or horses

  2. headlong rush of a crowd: a stampede of shoppers

  1. any sudden large-scale movement or other action, such as a rush of people to support a candidate

  2. Western US and Canadian a rodeo event featuring fairground and social elements

verb
  1. to run away or cause to run away in a stampede

Origin of stampede

1
C19: from American Spanish estampida, from Spanish: a din, from estampar to stamp, of Germanic origin; see stamp

Derived forms of stampede

  • stampeder, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012