hoard

American  

[hawrd, hohrd] / hɔrd, hoʊrd /

noun

1. a supply or accumulation that is hidden or carefully guarded for preservation, future use, etc..

   a vast hoard of silver.

   Synonyms:

   stock, store, cache, reserve, stockpile

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verb (used with object)

1. to accumulate for preservation, future use, etc., in a hidden or carefully guarded place.

   to hoard food during a shortage.

verb (used without object)

1. to accumulate money, food, or the like, in a hidden or carefully guarded place for preservation, future use, etc.

hoard British  

/ hɔːd /

noun

1. an accumulated store hidden away for future use

2. a cache of ancient coins, treasure, etc

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verb

1. to gather or accumulate (a hoard)

Usage

What’s the difference between hoard and horde? Hoard is a verb meaning to accumulate things and closely guard them, often in a greedy or excessive way, as in Dragons are known for hoarding treasure. It can also be used as a noun to collectively refer to the things that have been accumulated, as in a hoard of treasure. Horde is a noun referring to a large group or mob of people, especially one considered in a negative way, as in I’d rather avoid the hordes of tourists. The word horde is also used in a more specific way to refer to a group of nomads. It is especially associated with the Mongol army of the 1200s (sometimes known as the Golden Horde). Horde can also be a verb, meaning to gather or move in a horde, but this use is much less common.Both words often relate to large groups, but a hoard is an accumulation of items, while a horde is a group of people (or animals).To remember which spelling to use, remember that nomadic hordes sometimes travel on horses. The word hoard, on the other hand, hoards the letter A all for itself.Here’s an example of hoard and horde used correctly in a sentence.Example: A horde of invaders sacked the city and looted the royal treasure hoard. Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between hoard and horde.

Other Word Forms

• hoarder noun
• unhoarded adjective

Etymology

Origin of hoard

First recorded before 900; Middle English hord(e), Old English hord; cognate with Old Norse hodd, Old High German hort, Gothic huzd “treasure”; hide ¹, hide ²

Example Sentences

The team from Pre-Construct Archaeology was working on a building site a few miles from Thetford, Norfolk, when they came across the hoard last year.

From BBC

People have had to either hoard it, dispose of it with their household rubbish or make trips to the tip.

From BBC

Over years of high inflation and currency controls, Argentines traded their battered pesos for dollars, which they often hoarded at home, in cash.

From Barron's

As with gold, silver has long been hoarded by investors worried about inflation, government debt, and the overall safety of the modern financial system.

From The Wall Street Journal

While GameStop’s underlying retail business isn’t necessarily healthy, its cash hoard serves to offset some worries.

From Barron's

Related Words

• accumulation
• backlog
• cache
• nest egg
• trove