Flock

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -É’k

From Middle English flock ("flock"), from Old English flocc ("flock, company, troop"), from Proto-Germanic *flukkaz, *flakka- ("crowd, troop"). Cognate with Middle Low German vlocke ("crowd, flock"), Old Norse flokkr ("crowd, troop, band, flock"). Perhaps related to Old English folc ("crowd, troop, band"). More at folk.

Noun

1. A large number of birds, especially those gathered together for the purpose of migration.
2. A large number of animals, especially sheep or goats kept together.
3. Those served by a particular pastor or shepherd.
• 1995, Green Key Books, God's Word to the Nations (John 10:16), I also have other sheep that are not from this pen. I must lead them. They, too, will respond to my voice. So they will be one flock with one shepherd.
• TennysonAs half amazed, half frighted all his flock.
4. A large number of people.
• Bible, 2 Macc. xiv. 14The heathen ... came to Nicanor by flocks.

Synonyms

• congregation, bunch, gaggle, horde, host, legion, litter, nest, rabble, swarm, throng, wake

Full definition of flock

Verb

1. (intransitive) To congregate in or head towards a place in large numbers.People flocked to the cinema to see the new film.
• DrydenFriends daily flock.
2. (transitive, obsolete) To flock to; to crowd.
• 1609, TaylorGood fellows, trooping, flocked me so.
3. To treat a pool with chemicals to remove suspended particles.

From Middle English flok ("tuft of wool"), from Old French floc ("tuft of wool"), from Late Latin floccus ("tuft of wool"), probably from Frankish *flokko ("down, wool, flock"), from Proto-Germanic *flukkōn-, *flukkan-, *fluksōn- ("down, flock"), from Proto-Indo-European *plAwək- ("hair, fibres, tuft"). Cognate with Old High German flocko ("down"), Middle Dutch vlocke ("flock"), Norwegian dialectal flugsa ("snowflake"). Other cognate Albanian flokë ("hair").

Noun

1. Coarse tufts of wool or cotton used in bedding
2. A lock of wool or hair.
• ShakespeareI prythee, Tom, beat Cut's saddle, put a few flocks in the point pommel.
3. Very fine sifted woollen refuse, especially that from shearing the nap of cloths, formerly used as a coating for wallpaper to give it a velvety or clothlike appearance; also, the dust of vegetable fibre used for a similar purpose.

Verb

1. (transitive) To coat a surface with dense fibers or particles.