I. ˈkrau̇d verb
Etymology: Middle English crouden, from Old English crūdan; akin to Middle High German kroten to crowd, Old English crod multitude, Middle Irish gruth curds
Date: before 12th century
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to press on : hurry
b. : to press close
the players crowd ed around the coach
2. : to collect in numbers
transitive verb
1.
a. : to fill by pressing or thronging together
a room crowd ed with children
b. : to press, force, or thrust into a small space
2. : push , force — often used with off or out
crowd a person off the sidewalk
3.
a. : to urge on
b. : to put on (sail) in excess of the usual for greater speed
4. : to put pressure on
don't crowd me, I'll pay
5. : throng , jostle
6. : to press or stand close to
the batter was crowd ing the plate
II. noun
Date: 1565
1. : a large number of persons especially when collected together : throng
2.
a. : the great body of the people : populace
b. : most of one's peers
follow the crowd
3. : a large number of things close together
I saw a crowd …of golden daffodils — William Wordsworth
4. : a group of people having something (as a habit, interest, or occupation) in common
in with the wrong crowd
the Hollywood crowd
Synonyms:
crowd , throng , crush , mob , horde mean an assembled multitude usually of people. crowd implies a close gathering and pressing together
a small crowd gathered
throng strongly suggests movement and pushing
a throng of reporters
crush emphasizes the compactness of the group, the difficulty of individual movement, and the attendant discomfort
a crush of fans
mob implies a disorderly crowd with the potential for violence
an angry mob outside the jail
horde suggests a rushing or tumultuous crowd
a horde of shoppers
III. ˈkrau̇d, ˈkrüd noun
Etymology: Middle English crowde, from Middle Welsh crwth
Date: 14th century
1. : an ancient Celtic stringed instrument that is plucked or bowed — called also crwth
2. dialect England : violin
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