v. & n.
v. 1 tr. & intr. (often foll. by up) crowd together; nestle closely. 2 intr. & refl. (often foll. by up) coil one's body into a small space. 3 tr. Brit. heap together in a muddle.
n. 1 a confused or crowded mass of people or things. 2 colloq. a close or secret conference (esp. in go into a huddle). 3 confusion, bustle.
[ 16th c.: perh. f. LG and ult. rel. to HIDE(3) ]