noun
stampede
stam-PEED
noun
1
A sudden, wild rush of frightened animals running together.
"A thunderclap set off a stampede among the cattle."
2
A sudden rush of a crowd of people in the same direction, often driven by panic.
"A stampede broke out near the exits when the fire alarm sounded."
verb
1
To run, or cause to run, in a sudden headlong rush.
"The herd stampeded across the plain at the sound of gunfire."
"Fans stampeded toward the stage when the band appeared."
How to Use Stampede
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA sudden mass rush, whether of spooked animals or a panicked crowd.
Common pairings
cattle stampede
stampede for the exits
Word Forms
stampeded past tense, stampedes plural, stampedes singular
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A thunderclap set off a _____ among the cattle.
Etymology
From Mexican Spanish estampida, ultimately traced back through Spanish and Old Occitan to a Germanic root meaning to stamp or trample.