crowd

¹

[ kroud ]

noun

1. a large number of persons gathered closely together; throng:

   a crowd of angry people.

2. any large number of persons.
3. any group or set of persons with something in common:

   The restaurant attracts a theater crowd.

4. audience; attendance:

   Opening night drew a good crowd.

5. the common people; the masses:

   He feels superior to the crowd.

   Synonyms: populace, plebeians, proletariat

6. a large number of things gathered or considered together.
7. Sociology. a temporary gathering of people responding to common stimuli and engaged in any of various forms of collective behavior.

verb (used without object)

1. to gather in large numbers; throng; swarm.

   Synonyms: thrust, drive, herd, assemble

2. to press forward; advance by pushing.

verb (used with object)

1. to press closely together; force into a confined space; cram:

   to crowd clothes into a suitcase.

2. to push; shove.
3. to fill to excess; fill by pressing or thronging into.
4. to place under pressure or stress by constant solicitation:

   to crowd a debtor for payment; to crowd someone with embarrassing questions.

crowd

²

[ kroud ]

noun

, Music.

1. an ancient Celtic musical instrument with the strings stretched over a rectangular frame, played with a bow.

crowd

¹

/ kraʊd /

noun

1. music an ancient bowed stringed instrument; crwth

crowd

²

/ kraʊd /

noun

1. a large number of things or people gathered or considered together
2. a particular group of people, esp considered as a social or business set

   the crowd from the office

3. 1. the crowd the common people; the masses
   2. ( as modifier )

      crowd ideas

4. follow the crowd
   follow the crowd to conform with the majority

verb

1. intr to gather together in large numbers; throng
2. tr to press together into a confined space
3. tr to fill to excess; fill by pushing into
4. informal.
   tr to urge or harass by urging
5. crowd on sail
   crowd on sail nautical to hoist as much sail as possible

Grammar Note

See collective noun.

Derived Forms

• ˈcrowder, noun
• ˈcrowded, adjective
• ˈcrowdedly, adverb
• ˈcrowdedness, noun

Other Words From

• crowder noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of crowd¹

First recorded before 950; Middle English verb crouden, cruden, croden, Old English crūdan, crēodan “to press, hurry”; cognate with Middle Dutch crūden “to push,” Middle Low German krūden to annoy”

Origin of crowd²

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English croud, crouth, from Welsh crwth; crwth

Word History and Origins

Origin of crowd¹

C13: from Welsh crwth

Origin of crowd²

Old English crūdan; related to Middle Low German krūden to molest, Middle Dutch crūden to push, Norwegian kryda to swarm

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. crowd on sail, Nautical. to carry a press of sail.

More idioms and phrases containing crowd

see follow the crowd ; three's a crowd .

Synonym Study

Crowd, multitude, swarm, throng refer to large numbers of people. Crowd suggests a jostling, uncomfortable, and possibly disorderly company: A crowd gathered to listen to the speech. Multitude emphasizes the great number of persons or things but suggests that there is space enough for all: a multitude of people at the market on Saturdays. Swarm as used of people is usually contemptuous, suggesting a moving, restless, often noisy, crowd: A swarm of dirty children played in the street. Throng suggests a company that presses together or forward, often with some common aim: The throng pushed forward to see the cause of the excitement.

Example Sentences

After he held an indoor rally in Nevada where a mostly unmasked crowd interacted, he told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he didn’t feel as though he was putting himself at risk.

From Washington Post

It’s amazing how small a barrier it takes to filter out the crowds.

From Outside Online

The latest crackdown occurred on Sunday, when crowds took to the streets to oppose the government’s decision to postpone for an entire year legislative council elections that were supposed to take place on Sunday.

From Fortune

Winter is also nice—just pack some extra layers—and you’ll miss the crowds by visiting in the off-season.

From Outside Online

CEOs and VPs always have people asking to take from them, so offering to help them in some way may make you stand out of the crowd.

From Essence.com

He created his own crowd-funding platform for genetically modified organisms (GMOs), which has yet to be launched.

From The Daily Beast

As he tried to make his way through a crowd of mourners late last month, he looked preoccupied and even disoriented.

From The Daily Beast

But when I look out over the crowd now, I also see that they are trapped—trapped by their cowardice.

From The Daily Beast

And so we compiled this list through conversations with colleagues and social media crowd-sourcing.

From The Daily Beast

The Stormfront crowd offers its own helpful political advice, not only for Scalise but also for the entire GOP.

From The Daily Beast

The crowd shuffled off in all directions, and then engaged in a confused struggle for the chairs.

From Project Gutenberg

The little crowd and the boats on the beach were right under them and no one paid any attention or seemed to be in a hurry.

From Project Gutenberg

Our social life is aimless without it, we are a crowd without a common understanding.

From Project Gutenberg

Soon after they parted, with a sarcastic laugh from the Spaniard, and Ma'amselle mingled with the crowd.

From Project Gutenberg

His Indian repute had not preceded him to such degree as to make the way easy for him through the London crowd.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• circle
• congregation
• crew
• group
• horde
• lot
• mass
• mob
• pack
• party
• people
• press
• sellout
• throng

More About Crowd

What is a basic definition of crowd?

A crowd is a large group of people or an audience. Crowd also means to cram closely together. Crowd has several other senses as a noun and a verb.

The word crowd can be used to describe any large group of people. Often, crowd is used to specifically mean that the people are standing close together. If a location has a large number of people in a small area, it is said to be crowded.

• Real-life examples: A protest often involves a crowd of angry people. Crowds are often broken up when they get too large and unruly. You are very likely to see huge crowds in large cities like Los Angeles or in popular amusement parks like Disney World.
• Used in a sentence: My sister got lost in the crowd of businesspeople boarding the subway car. 

In this sense, crowd is used as a verb to mean to gather together in large numbers.

• Used in a sentence: We crowded around the trained monkey to watch it dance. 

Crowd is also used to mean an audience, even if not many people are in the audience.

• Real-life examples: Musicians, circus performers, actors, and comedians perform in front of a crowd. Politicians often give speeches to a crowd. Every producer wants to attract a large crowd to a show so they make more money.
• Used in a sentence: She received a standing ovation from the crowd. 

Crowd can also specifically mean a group of people who have something in common.

• Used in a sentence: I don’t really fit in with this artsy crowd. 

As a verb, crowd means to pack or cram closely together in a tight space.

• Used in a sentence: Twelve clowns crowded into the tiny car.

Where does crowd come from?

The first records of crowd come from before 950. It ultimately comes from the Old English crūden, meaning “to press” or “to hurry.”

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to crowd?

• crowded (adjective)
• crowder (noun)

What are some synonyms for crowd?

• group
• mass
• mob
• throng
• circle
• cram
• press
• pack
• squeeze

What are some words that share a root or word element with crowd? 

• crowded
• crowdfunding
• crowd pleaser
• crowdsource
• crowd surf
• two’s company, three’s a crowd

What are some words that often get used in discussing crowd?

• people
• gather
• performance
• show
• tough
• great
• large
• angry

How is crowd used in real life?

Crowd is a common word that most often means a large group of people.

Large crowd continuing to march on Pike Street from downtown. Two individuals were arrested outside of the West Precinct. Demonstrators threw rocks, bottles and other items at officers. At least one officer has been transported to the hospital.

— Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) July 19, 2020

Proud of my hometown Miami crowd giving up that energy for our boys.. I know that energy well. #GoHeat

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) June 10, 2012

Person in Tahoe looks at me in my small sedan as if it's my fault because they are crowded into a parking space next to me. Don't do that.

— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) June 10, 2017

 

 

Try using crowd!

True or False?

A crowd is a small group of people.