n. & v.
--n.
1. a close group or bunch of similar things growing together.
2 a close group or swarm of people, animals, faint stars, gems, etc.
3 a group of successive consonants or vowels.
--v.
1. tr. bring into a cluster or clusters.
2 intr. be or come into a cluster or clusters.
3 intr. (foll. by round, around) gather, congregate.
Phrases and idioms:
cluster bomb an anti-personnel bomb spraying pellets on impact. cluster pine a Mediterranean pine Pinus pinaster with clustered cones: also called PINASTER.
Etymology: OE clyster: cf. CLOT