troop

[troop]

noun

1. an assemblage of persons or things; company; band.

   Synonyms: crowd, group, body

2. a great number or multitude.

   A whole troop of children swarmed through the museum.

   Synonyms: throng, swarm, flock, herd, crowd

3. Military.,  an armored cavalry or cavalry unit consisting of two or more platoons and a headquarters group.

4. troops, a body of soldiers, police, etc..

   Mounted troops quelled the riot.

5. a single soldier, police officer, etc..

   Three troops were killed today by a roadside bomb.

6. a unit of Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts usually having a maximum of 32 members under the guidance of an adult leader.

7. a herd, flock, or swarm.

8. Archaic.,  a band or troupe of actors.

verb (used without object)

1. to gather in a company; flock together.

   Synonyms: collect

2. to come, go, or pass in great numbers; throng.

   Synonyms: swarm

3. to walk, as if in a march; go.

   to troop down to breakfast.

4. to walk, march, or pass in rank or order.

   The students trooped into the auditorium.

5. to associate or consort (usually followed bywith ).

verb (used with object)

1. British Military.,  to carry (the flag or colors) in a ceremonial way before troops.

2. Obsolete.,  to assemble or form into a troop or troops.

troop

/ truːp /

noun

1. a large group or assembly; flock

   a troop of children

2. a subdivision of a cavalry squadron or artillery battery of about platoon size

3. (plural) armed forces; soldiers

4. a large group of Scouts comprising several patrols

5. an archaic spelling of troupe

verb

1. (intr) to gather, move, or march in or as if in a crowd

2. (tr) military to parade (the colour or flag) ceremonially

   trooping the colour

3. slang,  (tr) military (formerly) to report (a serviceman) for a breach of discipline

4. (intr) an archaic word for consort

Other Word Forms

• intertroop adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of troop¹

First recorded in 1535–45; from French troupe, Old French trope, probably back formation from tropel “herd, flock” ( French troupeau ), equivalent to trop- (from Germanic; thorp ) + -el, ultimately from Latin -ellus diminutive suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of troop¹

C16: from French troupe , from troupeau flock, of Germanic origin

Synonym Study

See company. Troop, troupe both mean a band, company, or group. Troop has various meanings as indicated in the definitions above. With the spelling troupe the word has the specialized meaning of a company of actors, singers, acrobats, or other performers.

Example Sentences

In the case of the military troop deployments, for instance, some fear a reversal on appeal could ultimately hand the president broader power to send troops to American cities.

From Los Angeles Times

At first, Charlie Hey, 12, didn’t think much of it when his Boy Scout troop passed an elderly man standing at the edge of a trail deep in the Emigrant Wilderness.

From Los Angeles Times

The images also appear to show fresh tracks left by armoured vehicles crossing through a cemetery, where over 3,000 troops killed fighting for the British Empire in World War 1 are buried.

From BBC

But the speech was more about firing up the Reform troops than setting out policies, as he sought to capitalise on the party's recent local election victories and consistent lead in the national opinion polls.

From BBC

That lawsuit said more than 2,200 National Guard troops are in Washington D.C., where they are seen dressed in military fatigues and carrying rifles around national monuments.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• armed forces 
• army 
• contingent 
• forces 
• military 
• soldiers www.thesaurus.com