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

While we successfully pushed for regulations to begin by 2028, a last-minute change allowed mega-dairies to continue to profit from “avoided methane” credits based on flawed assumptions, encouraging herd consolidation and pollution-heavy liquid manure systems.

From Los Angeles Times

For them, the desert is home, where they cultivate date palms and raise herds of goats, sheep and camels.

From Salon

That’s alarming, because 95% is generally considered the minimum to produce “herd immunity,” in which vaccination is so widespread that even the unvaccinated are protected from the spread of these diseases.

From Los Angeles Times

His herd of 400 cows are milked three times a day on behalf of a major milk supplier and his 18,000 hens lay eggs for a leading supermarket.

From BBC

As H5N1 bird flu spreads among California dairy herds and southward-migrating birds, health officials announced Friday that six more human cases of infection: five in California and one in Oregon — the state’s first.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• corral
• round up