/ flɒk; NAmE flɑːk/ noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ C +sing./pl. v . ] flock (of sth) a group of sheep, goats or birds of the same type
—compare herd
2.
[ C +sing./pl. v . ] flock (of sb) a large group of people, especially of the same type :
a flock of children / reporters
They came in flocks to see the procession.
3.
[ C +sing./pl. v . ] ( literary ) the group of people who regularly attend the church of a particular priest, etc.
4.
[ U ] small pieces of soft material used for filling cushions , chairs, etc.
5.
[ U ] small pieces of soft material on the surface of paper or cloth that produce a raised pattern :
flock wallpaper
■ verb
to go or gather together somewhere in large numbers :
[ v + adv. / prep. ]
Thousands of people flocked to the beach this weekend.
Huge numbers of birds had flocked together by the lake.
[ v to inf ]
People flocked to hear him speak.
•
IDIOMS
see bird
••
WORD ORIGIN
noun senses 1 to 3 and verb Old English flocc , of unknown origin. The original sense was a band or body of people : this became obsolete, but has been reintroduced as a transferred use of the sense a number of animals kept together .
noun senses 4 to 5 Middle English : from Old French floc , from Latin floccus lock or tuft of wool .