˜yÐÄvlog

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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: ,

  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: , ,

  2. to conduct or drive (a group of people) to a destination:

    The teacher herded the children into the classroom.

herd

1

/ ³óɜ˻å /

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
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to collect or be collected into or as if into a herd
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

herd

2

/ ³óɜ˻å /

noun

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

      swineherd

      goatherd

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to drive forwards in a large group
  2. to look after (livestock)
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Grammar Note

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˜yÐÄvlog 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
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˜yÐÄvlog History and Origins

Origin of herd1

Old English heord; related to Old Norse ³óÂáö°ù³Ù³ó, Gothic hairda, Old High German herta, Greek °ìó°ù³Ù³ó³Ü²õ troop

Origin of herd2

Old English hirde; related to Old Norse hirthir, Gothic hairdeis, Old High German hirti, Old Saxon hirdi, herdi; see herd 1
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Idioms and Phrases

  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 .
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Synonym Study

See flock 1.
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Example Sentences

Many took advantage of the policy, leaving the children in his practice well below the 95% threshold that experts say is needed to achieve herd immunity.

From

“But what we’re seeing was this herd of elk, locked up, having massive die outs. We had severe water pollution, some of the worst water pollution in California.â€

From

Public health experts say a 95% vaccination rate, sometimes called “herd immunity,†is generally considered the gold standard of disease prevention.

From

A 95% vaccination rate, sometimes called “herd immunity,†is generally considered the gold standard of disease prevention.

From

Scientists are sounding alarms about a genetic mutation that was recently identified in four dairy cow herds, nearly one year after H5N1 bird flu was first reported in Texas dairy cattle.

From

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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