c.1300, probably shortened from O.E. geþrang "crowd, tumult" (related to verb þringan "to push, crowd, press"), from P.Gmc. *thrangan (cf. O.N. þröng, Du. drang, Ger. Drang "crowd, throng"). The verb, in the sense of "go in a crowd," is first recorded 1534.
Crowd\, n. [AS. croda. See Crowd, v. t. ]1. A number of things collected or closely pressed together; also, a number of things adjacent to each other. A crowd of islands. --Pope. 2. A number of persons congregated or collected into a close body without order; a throng. The crowd of Vanity Fair. --Macaulay. Crowds that stream from yawning doors. --Tennyson. 3. The lower orders of people; the populace; the vulgar; the rabble; the mob. To fool the crowd with glorious lies. --Tennyson. He went not with the crowd to see a shrine. --Dryden. Syn: Throng; multitude. See Throng.
Mul"ti*tude\, n. [F. multitude, L. multitudo, multitudinis, fr. multus much, many; of unknown origin.]1. A great number of persons collected together; a numerous collection of persons; a crowd; an assembly. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them. --Matt. ix. 36. 2. A great number of persons or things, regarded collectively; as, the book will be read by a multitude of people; the multitude of stars; a multitude of cares. It is a fault in a multitude of preachers, that they uttery neglect method in their harangues. --I. Watts. A multitude of flowers As countless as the stars on high. --Longfellow. 3. The state of being many; numerousness. They came as grasshoppers for multitude. --Judg. vi. 5. The multitude, the populace; the mass of men. Syn: Throng; crowd; assembly; assemblage; commonalty; swarm; populace; vulgar. See Throng.
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