herd

1
[ hurd ]
/ hɜrd /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR herd ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a number of animals kept, feeding, or traveling together; drove; flock: a herd of cattle; a herd of sheep; a herd of zebras.
Sometimes Disparaging. a large group of people: The star was mobbed by a herd of autograph seekers.
any large quantity: a herd of bicycles.
the herd, the common people; masses; rabble: He had no opinions of his own, but simply followed the herd.

verb (used without object)

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

Idioms for herd

    ride herd on, to have charge or control of; maintain discipline over: He rode herd on 40 students in each class.

Origin of herd

1
before 1000; Middle English; Old English heord; cognate with Gothic hairda, German Herde

SYNONYMS FOR herd

1 See flock1.
2 crowd, mob.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR herd ON THESAURUS.COM

usage note for herd

See collective noun.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH herd

heard herd

Words nearby herd

hercules beetle, hercules'-club, hercules-club, hercynian, hercynite, herd, herd immunity, herd instinct, herd tester, herd's-grass, herd-book

Words related to ride herd on

drive, shepherd

British Dictionary definitions for ride herd on (1 of 2)

herd 1
/ (hɜːd) /

noun

a large group of mammals living and feeding together, esp a group of cattle, sheep, etc
often derogatory a large group of people
derogatory the large mass of ordinary people

verb

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

Word Origin for herd

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

British Dictionary definitions for ride herd on (2 of 2)

herd 2
/ (hɜːd) /

noun

  1. archaic, or dialect a man or boy who tends livestock; herdsman
  2. (in combination)goatherd; swineherd

verb (tr)

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

Word Origin for herd

Old English hirde; related to Old Norse hirthir, Gothic hairdeis, Old High German hirti, Old Saxon hirdi, herdi; see herd 1

Idioms and Phrases with ride herd on (1 of 2)

ride herd on

Keep close watch or tight control over, as in Aunt Martha is always riding herd on her bridge club, making sure they follow the rules. This idiom alludes to the cowboy who rides around a herd of cattle to keep them together. [Late 1800s]

Idioms and Phrases with ride herd on (2 of 2)

herd

see ride herd on.