Dictionary

flock en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /flɒk/ (UK)
• /flɑk/ (US)
• (US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *flukkaz Proto-West Germanic *flokk Old English flocc Middle English flok English flock From Middle English flok, from Old English flocc (“flock, company, troop”), from Proto-West Germanic *flokk, from Proto-Germanic *flukkaz (“crowd, troop”). Cognate with German Low German Flock (“crowd, flock”), Danish flok (“flock”), Swedish flock (“flock”), Norwegian flokk (“flock”), Faroese flokkur (“flock”), Icelandic flokkur (“flock, group”). Related also to Norman fliotchet (“flock, crowd”), from Old Norse. Perhaps related to Old English folc (“crowd, troop, band”). More at folk.

Meanings

1. (collective) A number of birds together in a group, such as those gathered together for the purpose of migration. ▸ A large number of animals associated together in a group; commonly used of sheep, but (dated) also used for goats or other livestock animals, or sometimes any group of animals.
   • Into the trees / Past meadow grounds / And further away from my home / Baying behind me / I hear the hounds / Flock's chasing to find me alone / A trail of sickness / Leading to me / If I am haunted / Then you will see 2005, “Reverie / Harlequin Forest”, in Ghost Reveries, performed by Opeth:
   • My parents kept a flock of sheep. When Andy and I married in 1990, I brought 11 sheep descended from my father's flock to Andy's family's dairy farm. 2026, Robin Nistock, quotee, “Makers Space”, in Spin Off, volume L, number 1, page 12:
   • He told his father, and said it would be just suitable work for him to run about fields and woods amongst the strawberry hills after a flock of hares, and now and then lie down and take a nap on some sunny hill. 1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 170:
2. (collective) A number of birds together in a group, such as those gathered together for the purpose of migration. ▸ The group of sheep being watched by one shepherd.
3. (collective) A number of birds together in a group, such as those gathered together for the purpose of migration. ▸ A large number of people.
   • The heathen […] came to Nicanor by flocks. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Maccabees 14:14:
4. Those served by a particular pastor or shepherd.
   • But lapsed into so long a pause again / As half amazed, half frighted all his flock: [...] 1864, Alfred Tennyson, “Aylmer’s Field”, in Enoch Arden, &c., London: Edward Moxon & Co., […], →OCLC, page 83:
   • 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. 1995, Green Key Books, God's Word to the Nations (John 10:16):
5. Those served by a particular pastor or shepherd. ▸ A religious congregation.

Forms

Deriveds

species flock · flock camera · flockmate · flerd · flower of the flock · flocky · flockling · flockwise · flockmaster · flockless · flockful · flocker · subflock · flocklike · flockowner · flockmeal

Synonyms

host · fold · throng · nest · rabble · congregation · congregation · swarm · wake · fold · laity · gaggle · congregation · horde · legion · litter · bunch · flock

Translations (262)

sh svetina (group of people) · pl stado (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · lo ຫມູ່ (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · pl stado (group of birds) · tt көтү (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · es rebaño (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · hi झुंड (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · sl čréda (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · mi whiri (group of birds) · ro turmă (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · uz gala (group of birds) · el σμήνος (group of birds) · ckb ڕان (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · sh светина (group of people) · is hjörð (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · mt merħla (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · it gregge (group of people) · it stormo (group of birds) · la grex avium (group of birds) · ru ста́до (group of birds) · ota سوری (group of birds) · de Herde (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · eu artalde (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · pt bando (group of people) · sh паства (people served by a particular pastor) · ko 무리 (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · kmr celeb (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · ja 一群 (group of birds) · mi wiri (group of birds) · nl zwerm (group of birds) · got 𐌰𐍅𐌴𐌸𐌹 (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · is hópur (group of birds) · fi katras (people served by a particular pastor) · tl gasa (group of birds) · ru ста́до (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · cu чрѣда (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · sh jȁto (group of birds) · bn পশুপালক (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · sq grigjë (people served by a particular pastor) · kmr kom (group of people) · sw ng'ombe (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · egy i-d:r-idr-E1 (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · ast atayu (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · fi väkijoukko (group of people) · nrf fliotchet (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · be згра́я (group of birds) · eu banda (group of birds) · hu nyáj (people served by a particular pastor) · km ហ្វូង (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · es hato (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · fr bande (group of birds) · vi đàn (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · ko 떼 (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · sl stado (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · be чарада́ (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · th ฝูง (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · sv hjord (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · mn сүрэг (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · dsb stadło (group of birds) · uz poda (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · vi bầy (group of birds) · es multitud (group of people) · ru гру́ппа (people served by a particular pastor) · bg тълпа́ (group of people) · es grey (people served by a particular pastor) · nrf fliotchet (group of birds) · sq tufë (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · hu falka (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · yi טשערעדע (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · kmr cemaet (people served by a particular pastor) · kmr ref (group of birds) · ar سِرْب (group of birds) · de Schar (group of birds) · is hópur (group of people) · vi đàn (group of birds) · ja 群れ (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · fa گله (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · fi parvi (group of birds) · ru па́ства (people served by a particular pastor) · nb flokk (group of birds) · sh stȁdo (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · lo ຝູງ (group of birds) · ba туп (group of birds) · tg гала (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · kmr coq (group of people) · uk згра́я (group of birds) · it gregge (people served by a particular pastor) · es bandada (group of birds) · gl rabañada (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · fa رمه (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · sh črédo (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · ca estol (group of people) · be ста́так (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · sh puk (group of people) · ug پادا (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · ja ひとむれ (group of birds) · mi rāngai (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · mi rāngai (group of people) · kk үйір (group of birds) · it gregge (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · sv flock (group of birds) · mi kāhui (group of birds) · sv flock (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · ga tréad (people served by a particular pastor) · is flokkur (group of birds) · el κοπάδι (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · gl bando (group of birds) · tg пода (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · fi katras (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · nb flokk (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · kmr birr (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · gl rabaño (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · fa دسته (group of birds) · mnc ᡶᡝᠨᡳᠶᡝᠨ (group of birds) · cu ⱄⱅⰰⰴⱁ (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · es pajarería (group of birds) · lo ຝູງ (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · lt pulkas (group of birds) · ba көтөү (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · tg гала (group of birds) · az sürü (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · arz قطيع (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · sh чре́да (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · tl ganado (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · ky үйүр (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · bg па́ство (people served by a particular pastor) · os дзуг (group of birds) · uk череда́ (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · ca bandada (group of birds) · gd ealt (group of birds) · hu nyáj (group of people) · uk ота́ра (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · tg рама (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · sh стадо (people served by a particular pastor) · ota سوری (group of people) · ro cârd (group of birds) · ru ота́ра (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · hy երամ (group of birds) · nl kudde (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · ce бажа (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · da flok (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · fr groupe (group of birds) · fi lauma (group of people) · cu стадо (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · th หมู่ (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · ka ჯგუფის (group of birds) · tg села (group of birds) · fi lauma (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · hu nyáj (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · swb ɓangwe (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · ro stol (group of birds) · dsb stadło (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · be ста́да (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · tr sürü (group of people) · sk kŕdeľ (group of birds) · hu raj (group of birds) · az sürü (group of birds) · sh čréda (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · myv пуро (group of birds) · bg я́то (group of birds) · cs ovečky (people served by a particular pastor) · ka ნახირი (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · fr congrégation (people served by a particular pastor) · ko 무리 (group of birds) · he עֵדֶר (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · it branco (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · km ផូង (group of birds) · sh чре́до (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · cs hejno (group of birds) · eo birdaro (group of birds) · th หมู่ (group of birds) · mk јато (group of birds) · ga tréad (group of people) · uk ту́рма (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · bg ста́до (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · orv стадо (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · gmy 𐀀𐀒𐀨 (group of people) · eo grego (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · gl bandada (group of birds) · he לַהֲקָה (group of birds) · ky отор (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · ru ста́я (group of birds) · pt rebanho (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · ota سوری (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · la grex (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · th ฝูง (group of birds) · tr sürü (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · mi rāhui (group of birds) · fro fulc (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · uk ста́до (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · kmr civat (people served by a particular pastor) · es congregación (people served by a particular pastor) · tk sürü (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · pt rebanho (people served by a particular pastor) · el κοπάδι (group of birds) · fi joukko (group of people) · tg тӯда (group of birds) · ko 군 (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · mi pōkai (group of birds) · mi rāngai (group of birds) · hsb stadło (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · be ста́дак (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · orv череда (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · tr davar (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · hi गल्ला (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · sh ја̏то (group of birds) · sh pastva (people served by a particular pastor) · sh stado (people served by a particular pastor) · mi kāwai (group of birds) · hu csapat (group of birds) · sl jata (group of birds) · eo ŝafaro (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · kk табын (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · sh пук (group of people) · ar قَطِيع (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · ko 떼 (group of birds) · pt bando (group of birds) · ca ramat (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · el ποίμνιο (people served by a particular pastor) · ur گله (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · fr troupeau (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · my သိုးအုပ် (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · sh ста̏до (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · hy հոտ (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · pt congregação (people served by a particular pastor) · ky үйүр (group of birds) · cs zástup (group of people) · ru толпа́ (group of people) · ast rebañu (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · ga tréad (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · cs stádo (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · es manada (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · mi kāhui (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · uz toʻda (group of birds) · cmn 群 (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · fr vol (group of birds) · de Schwarm (group of birds) · lt banda (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · km ហ្វូង (group of birds) · no folkemengde (group of people) · da flok (group of birds) · lo ຫມູ່ (group of birds) · vi bầy (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · mk стадо (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · fr nuée (group of birds) · te గుంపు (group of birds) · sq tufë (group of birds) · hu sereg (group of birds) · cy haid (group of birds) · tr sürü (group of birds) · fro fulc (group of birds) · pdt Häad (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · tl banda (group of birds) · ro ciurdă (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · kmr ref (group of people) · de Schar (group of people) · kmr kerî (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · kk отар (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · sk stádo (group of animals, especially sheep or goats) · ja 群れ (group of birds) · cmn 群 (group of birds) · fr troupeau (group of people)

flock en · VERB · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /flɒk/ (UK)
• /flɑk/ (US)
• (US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *flukkaz Proto-West Germanic *flokk Old English flocc Middle English flok English flock From Middle English flok, from Old English flocc (“flock, company, troop”), from Proto-West Germanic *flokk, from Proto-Germanic *flukkaz (“crowd, troop”). Cognate with German Low German Flock (“crowd, flock”), Danish flok (“flock”), Swedish flock (“flock”), Norwegian flokk (“flock”), Faroese flokkur (“flock”), Icelandic flokkur (“flock, group”). Related also to Norman fliotchet (“flock, crowd”), from Old Norse. Perhaps related to Old English folc (“crowd, troop, band”). More at folk.

Meanings

1. (intransitive) To congregate in or head towards a place in large numbers.
   • Given the poor state of the line's trains and schedules, it is remarkable that people flock to use or experience it in embarrassingly large numbers. 2021 October 20, Mark Rand, “S&C: a line fit for tourists... and everyone?”, in RAIL, number 942, page 43:
   • People flocked to the cinema to see the new film.
   • What place the gods for our repose assigned. Friends daily flock; and scarce the kindly spring Began to clothe the ground 1697, Virgil, “(please specify the book number)”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
2. (obsolete, transitive) To flock to; to crowd.
   • Good fellows, trooping, flocked me so. 1609, John Taylor, Penniless Pilgrimage:

Forms

Deriveds

birds of the feather flock together · birds of a feather flock together · flock together

Translations (29)

is hópast (to congregate) · mi kūtere (to congregate) · es afluir (to congregate) · ar تَهَافَتَ (to congregate) · eo ariĝi (to congregate) · it accalcarsi (to congregate) · hu összesereglik (to congregate) · hu gyülekezik (to congregate) · te గుమిగూడు (to congregate) · sv flockas (to congregate) · ja 群れる (to congregate) · ru сбива́ться (to congregate) · ru стека́ться (to congregate) · pt arrebanhar (to congregate) · no flokke (to congregate) · it affollarsi (to congregate) · ru толпи́ться (to congregate) · bg тълпя се (to congregate) · fr affluer (to congregate) · eo amasiĝi (to congregate) · is hópast saman (to congregate) · fi kerääntyä (to congregate) · ar تَوَافَدَ (to congregate) · es acorrer en masa (to congregate) · fi kokoontua (to congregate) · de sich scharen (to congregate) · es acudir en tropel (to congregate) · ar تَقَاطَرَ (to congregate) · de strömen (to congregate)

flock en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /flɒk/ (UK)
• /flɑk/ (US)
• (US) audio

Etymology

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 *plewk- (“hair, fibres, tuft”). Cognate with Old High German flocko (“down”), Middle Dutch vlocke (“flock”), Norwegian dialectal flugsa (“snowflake”). Non-Germanic cognates include Albanian flok (“hair”).

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) Coarse tufts of wool or cotton used in bedding.
2. (countable, uncountable) A lock of wool or hair.
   • I prythee, Tom, beat Cut's saddle, put a few flocks in the point. c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]:
3. (countable, uncountable) 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.
   • There was a neat hat-and-umbrella stand, and the stranger's weary feet fell soft on a good, serviceable dark-red drugget, which matched in colour the flock-paper on the walls. 1913, Mrs. [Marie] Belloc Lowndes, chapter II, in The Lodger, London: Methuen, →OCLC; republished in Novels of Mystery: The Lodger; The Story of Ivy; What Really Happened, New York, N.Y.: Longmans, Green and Co., […], [1933], →OCLC, page 0091:

Forms

Deriveds

flock worker's lung · flock paper

Translations (22)

ca borralló (tufts of wool or cotton) · ca borrall (tufts of wool or cotton) · it batuffolo (tufts of wool or cotton) · grc κνέφαλλον (tufts of wool or cotton) · el φλόκι (tufts of wool or cotton) · it bioccolo (tufts of wool or cotton) · pt floco (tufts of wool or cotton) · es borra (tufts of wool or cotton) · gl borra (tufts of wool or cotton) · hu pamat (tufts of wool or cotton) · ar مِزْقَة (tufts of wool or cotton) · ro scamă (tufts of wool or cotton) · it fiocco (tufts of wool or cotton) · ru клок (tufts of wool or cotton) · hu pihe (tufts of wool or cotton) · bg фъндък (tufts of wool or cotton) · fr flocon (tufts of wool or cotton) · gl floco (tufts of wool or cotton) · el φλόκος (tufts of wool or cotton) · ro floc (tufts of wool or cotton) · ca borra (tufts of wool or cotton) · fi vanu (tufts of wool or cotton)

flock en · VERB · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /flɒk/ (UK)
• /flɑk/ (US)
• (US) audio

Etymology

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 *plewk- (“hair, fibres, tuft”). Cognate with Old High German flocko (“down”), Middle Dutch vlocke (“flock”), Norwegian dialectal flugsa (“snowflake”). Non-Germanic cognates include Albanian flok (“hair”).

Meanings

1. (transitive) To coat a surface with dense fibers or particles; especially, to create a dense arrangement of fibers with a desired nap.
   • the sampling and elution advantages of flocked swabs versus spun swabs
2. (transitive) To cover a Christmas tree with artificial snow.
3. (transitive) To treat a pool with chemicals to remove suspended particles.

Forms

Deriveds

flocked

Synonyms

floc

Translations (3)

fi päällystää (jollakin) (to coat) · bg матирам (to coat) · ca aborrallonar-se (to coat)