stampede

Plural: stampedes

Noun

• a headlong rush of people on a common impulse
  • "when he shouted `fire' there was a stampede to the exits"
• a wild headlong rush of frightened animals (horses or cattle)
• A wild, headlong running away or scamper of a number of animals, usually caused by fright.
• A situation in which many people in a crowd are trying to move in the same direction at the same time, especially in consequence of a panic.
• An event at which cowboy skills are displayed; a rodeo.
• A sudden unconcerted acting together of a number of persons due to, or as if due to, some common impulse.

Verb

• cause to run in panic
  • "Thunderbolts can stampede animals"
• cause a group or mass of people to act on an impulse or hurriedly and impulsively
  • "The tavern owners stampeded us into overeating"
• act, usually en masse, hurriedly or on an impulse
  • "Companies will now stampede to release their latest software"
• run away in a stampede
• To cause (a drove or herd of animals) to run away or scamper in a wild, headlong manner, usually due to fright.
• To cause animals (owned by a person) to run away or scamper in this manner.
• To cause (people in a crowd) to move in the same direction at the same time, especially due to panic.
• To cause (an individual) to act hastily or rashly.
• To cause (people) to act in a sudden unconcerted manner due to, or as if due to, some common impulse.
• Of a drove or herd of animals: to run away or scamper in a wild, headlong manner, usually due to fright.
• Of people in a crowd: to move in the same direction at the same time, especially due to panic.
• Of people: to act in a sudden unconcerted manner due to, or as if due to, some common impulse.
• -PEDED, -PEDING, -PEDES to cause to run away in headlong panic

Examples

• "a stampede toward US bonds in the credit markets"
• "The annual Muslim Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, which is attended by millions of pilgrims, has increasingly suffered from stampedes."

Synonyms

crush, flight, jam, rush, stampedo, trampling