herd

UK: /ˈhɜː^rd/ US: /hɝd/ ,(hûrd)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

herd¹ /hɜrd/   n. [countable]

1. a number of animals feeding, traveling, or kept together;
   drove;
   flock:
   a herd of zebras.
2. Slang Terms a cohesive group of people;
   crowd:
   a herd of autograph seekers.
3. the herd, people in general;
   masses:
   didn't associate with the common herd.

v. 

4. to unite or move in a herd:
   [no object] The tourists all herded into the tiny restaurant.
5. to gather into or as if into a herd:
   [~ + object] The guide herded her tourists into the ancient cathedral.

Idioms

6. Idioms ride herd on, [ ~ + obj] to maintain control or discipline over:
   rode herd on the employees.

herd•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

herd¹  (hûrd), n. 

1. a number of animals kept, feeding, or traveling together;
   drove;
   flock:
   a herd of cattle;
   a herd of sheep;
   a herd of zebras.
2. Slang Terms [Sometimes Disparaging.] a large group of people:
   The star was mobbed by a herd of autograph seekers.
3. any large quantity:
   a herd of bicycles.
4. the herd, the common people;
   masses;
   rabble:
   He had no opinions of his own, but simply followed the herd.
5. Idioms ride herd on, to have charge or control of;
   maintain discipline over:
   He rode herd on 40 students in each class.

v.i. 

6. to unite or go in a herd;
   assemble or associate as a herd.

• bef. 1000; Middle English; Old English heord; cognate with Gothic hairda, German Herde

Synonyms

• 1. See flock ¹.
• 2. crowd, mob.

Usage

See collective noun. 

herd²  (hûrd), n. 

1. a herdsman (usually used in combination):
   a cowherd;
   a goatherd;
   a shepherd.

v.t. 

2. to tend, drive, or lead (cattle, sheep, etc.).
3. to conduct or drive (a group of people) to a destination:
   The teacher herded the children into the classroom.

• bef. 900; Middle English herd(e), hirde, Old English hierde; cognate with Gothic hairdeis, German Hirt(e); derivative of herd¹

Synonyms

• 2. guard, protect, watch.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

herd / hɜːd/ noun

1. a large group of mammals living and feeding together, esp a group of cattle, sheep, etc
2. a large group of people
3. the large mass of ordinary people

verb

1. to collect or be collected into or as if into a herd

Etymology: Old English heord; related to Old Norse hjörth, Gothic hairda, Old High German herta, Greek kórthus troop

herd / hɜːd/ noun

1. a person who tends livestock; herdsman
2. (in combination): goatherd, swineherd

verb (transitive)

1. to drive forwards in a large group
2. to look after (livestock)

Etymology: Old English hirde; related to Old Norse hirthir, Gothic hairdeis, Old High German hirti, Old Saxon hirdi, herdi; see herd¹