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 by with ).

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. See troupe
   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. See consort
   intr an archaic word for consort

Other Words From

• inter·troop 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

Still, Austin on February 3 announced a force-wide, 60-day “stand down” so that military leaders could discuss these issues with troops.

From Vox

State troops and the Alaska Mountain Rescue Group found the hikers buried in a recent avalanche and reported that they were not wearing avalanche beacons or locator beacons.

From Washington Post

Two soldiers who spoke to The Post estimated at least hundreds of troops were moved to the garage as officials struggle to find places to put thousands of service members.

From Washington Post

Instead, they drove into the city Sunday, flag in hand, and posed for their traditional Inauguration Day picture with armed federal troops and a seven-foot fence obstructing the view of the Capitol.

From Washington Post

Those troops are credentialed by the Secret Service and have been reduced in number by about 3,500 over a typical inauguration because of the pandemic, he said.

From Washington Post

America was at war, and Wilson was asked to stop troop transfers to Europe to help contain the disease.

From The Daily Beast

Either way Obama does not regret the decisions he made in 2011 that ended the U.S. troop presence in the country.

From The Daily Beast

In effect, Chicago needs a troop surge like what we saw in Iraq and Afghanistan.

From The Daily Beast

Clinton was particularly aggressive in pushing for a long-term troop presence, officials involved in the negotiations say.

From The Daily Beast

But he wants Obama to make a decision on troop levels, and soon.

From The Daily Beast

Most of the troop transports have left their anchorage and gone back to Mudros for fear of submarines.

From Project Gutenberg

About sunrise the troop left camp in a body, later spreading fanwise over the prairies.

From Project Gutenberg

They were to make the same marches, but were not to unite with the first troop, nor with the following one.

From Project Gutenberg

Every thicket will have its troop; every finger, for a hundred leagues round, will be on the trigger.

From Project Gutenberg

Malcolm gave Saumarez a summary of affairs in the Northwest Provinces as they rode on ahead of the troop.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• association
• band
• cast
• crew
• ensemble
• gang