herd
HERD
/hɜːrd/
A large group of animals; a large group of people that is easily led or controlled.
When applied to people, it is almost always negative, suggesting a lack of individual thought.
The story behind the word. A very old Germanic word. For thousands of years, it only referred to livestock. It wasn't until the 17th century that writers began using it metaphorically to describe human behavior, usually to insult the 'common people.'
Word relationships
- crowd: Crowd is neutral; herd implies the group is mindless or being controlled.
- mob: Mob implies a violent or angry group; herd implies a passive, following group.
- individual: An individual acts alone, not as part of a mindless group.
Commonly confused with
- heard: Heard is the past tense of hear; herd is a group of animals.
Word family
- herder (noun): A person who looks after a herd of animals.
Collocations
- herd mentality
- follow the herd
- herd of cattle
Idioms & expressions
- herd cats
- ride herd on
Example sentences
- "Investors often follow the herd, buying stocks just because everyone else is." Financial markets.
- "The tourists were herded onto the bus like cattle." Travel and tourism.
Memory hook
You 'heard' the 'herd' coming—they make a lot of noise but don't think much. Herd = Humans Ever Running Downhill (together).
When not to use
Do not use for a respectful group of people; use 'audience' or 'gathering' instead.
Fun facts
- The phrase 'herding cats' is a common idiom for trying to control a group of people who all want to do their own thing.
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