flock

¹

[flok]

noun

1. a number of animals of one kind, especially sheep, goats, or birds, that keep or feed together or are herded together.

   Synonyms: swarm, school, shoal, litter, hatch, brood, gaggle, flight, covey, bevy

2. a large number of people; crowd.

   Synonyms: assembly, company, group

3. a large group of things.

   a flock of letters to answer.

4. (in New Testament and ecclesiastical use)

   1. the Christian church in relation to Christ.

   2. a single congregation in relation to its pastor.

5. Archaic.,  a band or company of persons.

verb (used without object)

1. to gather or go in a flock or crowd.

   They flocked around the football hero.

flock

²

[flok]

noun

1. a lock or tuft of wool, hair, cotton, etc.

2. (sometimes used with a plural verb),  wool refuse, shearings of cloth, old cloth torn to pieces, or the like, for upholstering furniture, stuffing mattresses, etc.

3. Also called flocking. (sometimes used with a plural verb),  finely powdered wool, cloth, etc., used for producing a velvetlike pattern on wallpaper or cloth or for coating metal.

4. floc.

verb (used with object)

1. to stuff with flock, as a mattress.

2. to decorate or coat with flock, as wallpaper, cloth, or metal.

flock

¹

/ flɒk /

noun

1. a tuft, as of wool, hair, cotton, etc

2. 1. waste from fabrics such as cotton, wool, or other cloth used for stuffing mattresses, upholstered chairs, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      flock mattress

3. very small tufts of wool applied to fabrics, wallpaper, etc, to give a raised pattern

4. another word for floccule

verb

1. (tr) to fill, cover, or ornament with flock

flock

²

/ flɒk /

noun

1. a group of animals of one kind, esp sheep or birds

2. a large number of people; crowd

3. a body of Christians regarded as the pastoral charge of a priest, a bishop, the pope, etc

4. rare,  a band of people; group

verb

1. to gather together or move in a flock

2. to go in large numbers

   people flocked to the church

Grammar Note

See collective noun.

Other Word Forms

• flockless adjective
• flocky adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of flock¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English noun flok, Old English floc; cognate with Old Norse flokkr; the verb is derivative of the noun

Origin of flock²

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English flok, from Old French floc, from Latin floccus floccus

Word History and Origins

Origin of flock¹

C13: from Old French floc , from Latin floccus ; probably related to Old High German floccho down, Norwegian flugsa snowflake

Origin of flock²

Old English flocc ; related to Old Norse flokkr crowd, Middle Low German vlocke

Synonym Study

Flock, drove, herd, pack refer to a company of animals, often under the care or guidance of someone. Flock is the popular term, which applies to groups of animals, especially of sheep or goats, and companies of birds: This lamb is the choicest of the flock. A flock of wild geese flew overhead. Drove is especially applied to a number of oxen, sheep, or swine when driven in a group: A drove of oxen was taken to market. A large drove of swine filled the roadway. Herd is usually applied to large animals such as cattle, originally meaning those under the charge of someone; but by extension, to other animals feeding or driven together: a buffalo herd; a herd of elephants. Pack applies to a number of animals kept together or keeping together for offense or defense: a pack of hounds kept for hunting; a pack of wolves. As applied to people, drove, herd, and pack carry a contemptuous implication.

Example Sentences

"The disease control measures are crucial to limit any potential spread of disease and I appeal to all bird owners – backyard and commercial – to take all necessary steps to protect your flock," he said.

From BBC

She added: "Winter mortality of lambs removes inbred individuals, removes bad genes, so the flock has this purging thing the whole time which I don't think we would be able to organise."

From BBC

Millions flock to Bali every year in search of the spiritual Shangri-La promised in the noughties memoir and film Eat, Pray, Love.

From BBC

After that, the floodgates opened, and critics, celebrities, filmmakers, tastemakers, brand sponsors and the general public all flocked to Park City to celebrate the new wave of independent cinema.

From Salon

Some hope it might help navigate the party's conference when activists largely supportive of the Palestinian cause flock to Liverpool next week.

From BBC

Related Words

• assembly 
• colony 
• congregation 
• gathering 
• legion 
• multitude 
• throng