rab ‧ ble /ˈræb ə l/ BrE AmE noun [singular]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Origin: Perhaps from rabble 'to talk in a quick confused way' (14-19 centuries) ]
a noisy crowd of people
rabble of
a rabble of angry youths
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THESAURUS
■ of people
▪ group several people together in the same place:
A group of boys stood by the school gate.
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Arrange yourselves in groups of three.
▪ crowd a large group of people who have come to a place to do something:
There were crowds of shoppers in the streets.
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The crowd all cheered.
▪ mob a large, noisy, and perhaps violent crowd:
An angry mob of demonstrators approached.
▪ mass a large group of people all close together in one place, so that they seem like a single thing:
The square in front of the station was a solid mass of people.
▪ bunch informal a group of people who are all similar in some way:
They’re a nice bunch of kids.
▪ gang a group of young people, especially a group that often causes trouble and fights:
He was attacked by a gang of youths.
▪ rabble a noisy group of people who are behaving badly:
He was met by a rabble of noisy angry youths.
▪ horde a very large group of people who all go somewhere:
In summer hordes of tourists flock to the island.
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There were hordes of people coming out of the subway.
▪ crew a group of people who all work together, especially on a ship or plane:
the ship’s crew
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The flight crew will serve drinks shortly.
▪ party a group of people who are travelling or working together:
A party of tourists stood at the entrance to the temple.