stampede

Meanings

Noun

• A wild, headlong scamper, or running away, of a number of animals; usually caused by fright; hence, any sudden flight or dispersion, as of a crowd or an army in consequence of a panic.
• A situation in which many people in a crowd are trying to go in the same direction at the same time.
• Any sudden unconcerted moving or acting together of a number of persons, as from some common impulse.

Verb

• To run away in a panic; said of cattle, horses, etc., also of armies.
• To disperse by causing sudden fright, as a herd or drove of animals.
• To move rapidly in a mass.

Origin

• From Mexican Spanish estampida ("a stampede"), estampido, akin to estampar.