crowd

[ kroud ]

See synonyms for crowd on Thesaurus.com

noun

a large number of persons gathered closely together; throng: a crowd of angry people.
any large number of persons.

any group or set of persons with something in common: The restaurant attracts a theater crowd.
audience; attendance: Opening night drew a good crowd.
the common people; the masses: He feels superior to the crowd.
a large number of things gathered or considered together.
Sociology. a temporary gathering of people responding to common stimuli and engaged in any of various forms of collective behavior.

verb (used without object)

to gather in large numbers; throng; swarm.
to press forward; advance by pushing.

verb (used with object)

to press closely together; force into a confined space; cram: to crowd clothes into a suitcase.
to push; shove.

to fill to excess; fill by pressing or thronging into.
to place under pressure or stress by constant solicitation: to crowd a debtor for payment; to crowd someone with embarrassing questions.

Idioms about crowd

crowd on sail, Nautical. to carry a press of sail.

Origin of crowd

First recorded before 950; Middle English verb crouden, cruden, croden, Old English crūdan, crēodan “to press, hurry”; cognate with Middle Dutch crūden “to push,” Middle Low German krūden to annoy”

synonym study For crowd

1. Crowd, multitude, swarm, throng refer to large numbers of people. Crowd suggests a jostling, uncomfortable, and possibly disorderly company: A crowd gathered to listen to the speech. Multitude emphasizes the great number of persons or things but suggests that there is space enough for all: a multitude of people at the market on Saturdays. Swarm as used of people is usually contemptuous, suggesting a moving, restless, often noisy, crowd: A swarm of dirty children played in the street. Throng suggests a company that presses together or forward, often with some common aim: The throng pushed forward to see the cause of the excitement.

Grammar notes for crowd

See collective noun.

Other words for crowd

5	proletariat, plebeians, populace
8	assemble, herd
11	drive, thrust

See synonyms for crowd on Thesaurus.com

Other words from crowd

crowder, noun

Other definitions for crowd (2 of 2)

crowd²

[ kroud ]

nounMusic.

an ancient Celtic musical instrument with the strings stretched over a rectangular frame, played with a bow.

Origin of crowd

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English croud, crouth, from Welsh crwth; see also crwth

Also called rota [roh-tuh], /ˈroʊ tə/, rote [roht], /roʊt/, rotta [rot-uh], /ˈrɒt ə/, rotte [rot] /rɒt/ .

Also crwth [krooth] /kruθ/ .

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use crowd in a sentence

The crowds booed and jeered as the embarrassing scene played out in front of them.
Public Marriage Proposals Must Die | Tauriq Moosa | December 28, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Many will simply stay away from crowds and stay home this Christmas Eve, which could be a very silent night indeed.
France’s Wave of Crazy-Terror Christmas Attacks | Christopher Dickey | December 24, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Translators—many of whom came by boat themselves—work through the crowds with Italian authorities to take down names and details.
Inside the Smuggling Networks Flooding Europe with Refugees | Barbie Latza Nadeau | December 15, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Along with crowds, Cereal Killer has also drawn polarizing responses from the public and the media.
Cereal Cafe’s Big Bowl of Hate | David Levesley | December 14, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Our Pashto interpreter explained how he had pretended to be a Pakistani policeman when interested crowds approached the compound.
I Shot Bin Laden | Elliot Ackerman | November 16, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

After his death crowds flocked to his grave to touch his holy monument, till the authorities caused the church yard to be shut.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology | Joel Munsell
The news of these successes brought crowds of volunteers to our standard.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV. | Various
We were both fond of reading, of quiet walks and talks, and we hated crowds.
Fifty Years of Railway Life in England, Scotland and Ireland | Joseph Tatlow
The date was fixed for the interment with military pomp, and immense crowds came out to witness the imposing procession.
The Philippine Islands | John Foreman
The news of this pretended mutiny spread rapidly, and great crowds came rushing down to see the affair.
The Portsmouth Road and Its Tributaries | Charles G. Harper

British Dictionary definitions for crowd (1 of 2)

crowd¹

/ (kraʊd) /

noun

a large number of things or people gathered or considered together
a particular group of people, esp considered as a social or business set: the crowd from the office

- the crowd the common people; the masses
- (as modifier): crowd ideas
follow the crowd to conform with the majority

verb

(intr) to gather together in large numbers; throng
(tr) to press together into a confined space

(tr) to fill to excess; fill by pushing into
(tr) informal to urge or harass by urging
crowd on sail nautical to hoist as much sail as possible

Origin of crowd

Old English crūdan; related to Middle Low German krūden to molest, Middle Dutch crūden to push, Norwegian kryda to swarm

Derived forms of crowd

crowded, adjective
crowdedly, adverb
crowdedness, noun
crowder, noun

British Dictionary definitions for crowd (2 of 2)

crowd²

/ (kraʊd) /

noun

music an ancient bowed stringed instrument; crwth

Origin of crowd

C13: from Welsh crwth

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with crowd

crowd

see follow the crowd; three's a crowd.

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