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. a man or boy who tends livestock; herdsman
   2. ( in combination )

      swineherd

      goatherd

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.

More idioms and phrases containing herd

see ride herd on .

Synonym Study

See flock ¹.

Example Sentences

For herd immunity to work, at least 90% of all children in every community and neighbourhood need to be given a minimum of two doses.

From BBC

The Aussie quartet is gathered on a recent afternoon around a Griffith Park picnic table, where a small herd of little kids makes a racket on the grass nearby.

From Los Angeles Times

Yet as the trade deadline approached, Harbaugh, who called himself the “Robin” to Hortiz’s “Batman” when it came to personnel decisions, insisted on The Herd with Colin Cowherd on Monday that the roster didn’t need any saving.

From Los Angeles Times

The town made the headlines during the Covid pandemic when a herd of about 122 Kashmiri goats ventured from the Great Orme and took over the deserted town centre, eating hedges and flowers from gardens.

From BBC

When Trump asks the question, however, he is zeroing in on the height of the COVID-19 pandemic — before stay-at-home orders were initiated and vaccines were rolled out — when the Trump Administration was discouraging mask wearing and toying with the idea of trying to reach herd immunity while public anxiety went through the roof.

From Salon

Related Words

• corral
• round up