/troohp/ , n.
1. an assemblage of persons or things; company; band.
2. a great number or multitude: A whole troop of children swarmed through the museum.
3. Mil. an armored cavalry or cavalry unit consisting of two or more platoons and a headquarters group.
4. troops , a body of soldiers, police, etc.: Mounted troops quelled the riot.
5. a unit of Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts usually having a maximum of 32 members under the guidance of an adult leader.
6. a herd, flock, or swarm.
7. Archaic. a band or troupe of actors.
v.i.
8. to gather in a company; flock together.
9. to come, go, or pass in great numbers; throng.
10. to walk, as if in a march; go: to troop down to breakfast.
11. to walk, march, or pass in rank or order: The students trooped into the auditorium.
12. to associate or consort (usually fol. by with ).
v.t.
13. Brit. Mil. to carry (the flag or colors) in a ceremonial way before troops.
14. Obs. to assemble or form into a troop or troops.
[ 1535-45; troupe, OF trope, prob. back formation from tropel herd, flock (F troupeau ), equiv. to trop- ( -el -ellus dim. suffix ]
Syn. 1. body, group, crowd. See company. 2. crowd, herd, flock, swarm, throng. 7. TROOP, TROUPE both mean a band, company, or group. TROOP has various meanings as indicated in the definitions above. With the spelling TROUPE the word has the specialized meaning of a company of actors, singers, acrobats, or other performers. 8. collect. 9. swarm.