herd

¹

[hurd]

noun

1. a number of animals kept, feeding, or traveling together; drove; flock.

   a herd of cattle;

   a herd of sheep;

   a herd of zebras.

2. Sometimes Disparaging.,  a large group of people.

   The star was mobbed by a herd of autograph seekers.

   Synonyms: mob, crowd

3. any large quantity.

   a herd of bicycles.

4. the herd, the common people; the masses; the rabble.

   He had no opinions of his own, but simply followed the herd.

verb (used without object)

1. to unite or go in a herd; assemble or associate as a herd.

herd

²

[hurd]

noun

1. a person in charge of a herd (usually used in combination).

   a cowherd;

   a goatherd;

   a shepherd.

verb (used with object)

1. to tend, drive, or lead (cattle, sheep, etc.).

   Synonyms: watch, protect, guard

2. to conduct or drive (a group of people) to a destination.

   The teacher herded the children into the classroom.

herd

¹

/ hɜːd /

noun

1. 1. archaic,  a man or boy who tends livestock; herdsman

   2. ( in combination )

      goatherd

      swineherd

verb

1. to drive forwards in a large group

2. to look after (livestock)

herd

²

/ hɜːd /

noun

1. a large group of mammals living and feeding together, esp a group of cattle, sheep, etc

2. derogatory,  a large group of people

3. derogatory,  the large mass of ordinary people

verb

1. to collect or be collected into or as if into a herd

Grammar Note

See collective noun.

Word History and Origins

Origin of herd¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English heord; cognate with Gothic hairda, German Herde

Origin of herd²

First recorded before 900; Middle English herd(e), hirde, Old English hierde, hirde, hyrde; cognate with Gothic hairdeis, German Hirt(e); derivative of herd ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of herd¹

Old English hirde; related to Old Norse hirthir, Gothic hairdeis, Old High German hirti, Old Saxon hirdi, herdi; see _herd ¹

Origin of herd²

Old English heord; related to Old Norse hjörth, Gothic hairda, Old High German herta, Greek kórthus troop

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. ride herd on, to have charge or control of; maintain discipline over.

   He rode herd on 40 students in each class.

see ride herd on.

Synonym Study

See flock ¹.

Example Sentences

Decades of contraction in the industry has worsened as several years of drought have forced ranchers to slash their herd sizes - and herds take several years to rebuild.

Read more on BBC

But she added that the reports were being taken seriously and researchers were now collecting samples from herds where problems had been reported.

Read more on BBC

Dry weather has forced many farmers to scale back the size of their herd.

Read more on Barron's

Ranchers began shrinking their herds years ago after losing money during the pandemic and facing conditions like severe drought.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The Texas Farm Bureau noted in August that the US cattle herd is at its lowest level in more than 70 years, leading to a drop in domestic supplies.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• brood 
• flock 
• horde 
• mob 
• swarm 
• throng