- [countable + singular or plural verb]
a group of sheep, goats or birds of the same type (羊或鸟)群 - flock (of something)
He looks after a flock of 500 sheep. 他看管一个羊群,共500只羊。 - in flocks
These birds fly in huge flocks. 这些鸟成群结队地飞行。
- flock (of something)
- [countable + singular or plural verb]
a large group of people, especially of the same type (尤指同类人的)一大群 - flock (of somebody)
a flock of children/reporters 一大群儿童/记者 - in flocks
They came in flocks to see the procession. 他们成群结队来看游行队伍。
- flock (of somebody)
- [countable + singular or plural verb] (literary)
the group of people who regularly attend the church of a particular priest, etc. (常跟随某圣职人员等做礼拜的)信众;追随者 - [uncountable]
small pieces of soft material used for filling cushions, chairs, etc. (填充垫子、椅子等的)小块软填料 a flock mattress 填充床垫
- [uncountable]
small pieces of soft material on the surface of paper or cloth that produce a raised pattern (植绒用的)短绒,绒屑 flock wallpaper 植绒墙纸
Word Originnoun senses 1 to 3 Old English flocc, of unknown origin. The original sense was ‘a band or body of people’: this became obsolete, but has been reintroduced as a transferred use of the sense ‘a number of animals kept together’. noun senses 4 to 5 Middle English: from Old French floc, from Latin floccus ‘lock or tuft of wool’.