crowds - Master This Word
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crowds Word Meanings
- a large number of people gathered together
- a group with similar interests
- to gather together in a large group
crowds Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
crowds Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/kraʊd/
US
/kraʊd/
crowds Word Etymology
crowd = a large group of people (Old English: 'crūda') → Middle English → Modern English. Imagine a bustling concert where everyone gathers tightly together, a vivid image of excitement and energy.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputEnglish Brain Route
I shift my weight and step toward the edge of the room, feeling the floor give a little under my foot. A sea of faces parts and closes as people turn with the music, moving in a shared rhythm. I adjust my stance, push a bit to keep pace, and keep my balance as the line of bodies carries me forward. In this push and turn, the scene stops being abstract and becomes a living group moving together toward something bigger.
Real Context
crowd is a noun referring to a large number of people gathered together, often in a public place, such as a crowd at a concert or a crowd outside a stadium. It can also mean a group with similar interests, like a crowd of supporters or a film-festival crowd. As a verb, to crowd means to push or pack people or objects into a space, or to move in a way that fills a place. In English, crowd is a collective noun with singular agreement: a crowd is a single unit, but 'the crowds' refers to multiple groups. Learners commonly confuse crowd with crowded as an adjective and confuse 'crowd' with 'crowded' or 'crowding'.
Usage Reminders
- Use crowd as a singular noun: a crowd is not are. Use a crowd of + plural noun. The crowd gathered; the crowds dispersed. Distinguish crowd as group vs crowded space. Practice with crowd control and crowdfunding as separate terms. Remember the verb form crowded for past tense.
Common Misconceptions
- crowd always takes a plural verb
- crowd cannot be counted
- crowd means just a lot of things, not people
- to crowd is not a phrasal verb
- crowded describes people instead of space
Thinking Differences
Explain to an English speaker (meta, keep short): English treats crowd as a singular collective noun that stands as one unit, which can surprise learners who expect plural agreement for groups. Keep straight the difference between the noun crowd and the adjective crowded, and know when to use the phrase a crowd of + people.
Learning Tips
- Remember crowd is singular: a crowd is, not are.
- Use the phrase a crowd of + plural noun.
- Distinguish between crowd (group) and crowded (space).
- Practice with to crowd into a bus or room.
- Identify common collocations: crowd control, crowd funding (crowdfunding).
- Compare with a crowd vs the crowds to signal one group vs several.
Related Listening
🌱 Lite (Beginner)
🔥 Advanced
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