troop

[troop]

noun

1. an assemblage of persons or things; company; band.

   Synonyms: crowd, group, body

2. a great number or multitude.

   A whole troop of children swarmed through the museum.

   Synonyms: throng, swarm, flock, herd, crowd

3. Military.,  an armored cavalry or cavalry unit consisting of two or more platoons and a headquarters group.

4. troops, a body of soldiers, police, etc..

   Mounted troops quelled the riot.

5. a single soldier, police officer, etc..

   Three troops were killed today by a roadside bomb.

6. a unit of Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts usually having a maximum of 32 members under the guidance of an adult leader.

7. a herd, flock, or swarm.

8. Archaic.,  a band or troupe of actors.

verb (used without object)

1. to gather in a company; flock together.

   Synonyms: collect

2. to come, go, or pass in great numbers; throng.

   Synonyms: swarm

3. to walk, as if in a march; go.

   to troop down to breakfast.

4. to walk, march, or pass in rank or order.

   The students trooped into the auditorium.

5. to associate or consort (usually followed bywith ).

verb (used with object)

1. British Military.,  to carry (the flag or colors) in a ceremonial way before troops.

2. Obsolete.,  to assemble or form into a troop or troops.

troop

/ truːp /

noun

1. a large group or assembly; flock

   a troop of children

2. a subdivision of a cavalry squadron or artillery battery of about platoon size

3. (plural) armed forces; soldiers

4. a large group of Scouts comprising several patrols

5. an archaic spelling of troupe

verb

1. (intr) to gather, move, or march in or as if in a crowd

2. (tr) military to parade (the colour or flag) ceremonially

   trooping the colour

3. slang,  (tr) military (formerly) to report (a serviceman) for a breach of discipline

4. (intr) an archaic word for consort

Other Word Forms

• intertroop adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of troop¹

First recorded in 1535–45; from French troupe, Old French trope, probably back formation from tropel “herd, flock” ( French troupeau ), equivalent to trop- (from Germanic; thorp ) + -el, ultimately from Latin -ellus diminutive suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of troop¹

C16: from French troupe , from troupeau flock, of Germanic origin

Synonym Study

See company. Troop, troupe both mean a band, company, or group. Troop has various meanings as indicated in the definitions above. With the spelling troupe the word has the specialized meaning of a company of actors, singers, acrobats, or other performers.

Example Sentences

Will Israel eventually pull its troops out of Gaza?

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Even his inner circle has been intimidated by his strategy of entrusting command of the army to his closest associates and giving Israeli operatives the job of training elite troops and his personal security detail.

Read more on Barron's

“Right now everyone is wound up on paying troops but this is an easy way around that,” said Myrow.

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Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be released from Israeli jails, Israeli troops will withdraw from parts of Gaza, and there will be an increase in humanitarian aid entering the territory.

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The deal paves the way for the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the entry of aid into Gaza.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• armed forces 
• army 
• contingent 
• forces 
• military 
• soldiers www.thesaurus.com