— clusteringly , adv. — clustery , adj.
/klus"teuhr/ , n.
1. a number of things of the same kind, growing or held together; a bunch: a cluster of grapes.
2. a group of things or persons close together: There was a cluster of tourists at the gate.
3. U.S. Army. a small metal design placed on a ribbon representing an awarded medal to indicate that the same medal has been awarded again: oak-leaf cluster.
4. Phonet. a succession of two or more contiguous consonants in an utterance, as the str- cluster of strap.
5. Astron. a group of neighboring stars, held together by mutual gravitation, that have essentially the same age and composition and thus supposedly a common origin. Cf. globular cluster, open cluster, stellar association .
v.t.
6. to gather into a cluster or clusters.
7. to furnish or cover with clusters.
v.i.
8. to form a cluster or clusters: The people clustered around to watch.
[ bef. 900; ME; OE cluster, clyster bunch; c. LG kluster ]
Syn. 8. group, gather, throng, crowd, bunch.