Definition of 'troop'

Word Frequency

troop

(truːp )

Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense troops , present participle trooping , past tense, past participle trooped

1. plural noun

Troops are soldiers, especially when they are in a large organized group doing a particular task.

The operation will involve more than 35,000 troops from a dozen countries.

There were reports of troop movements.

Synonyms: soldiers, men, armed forces, service personnel More Synonyms of troop

2. countable noun [with singular or plural verb]

A troop is a group of soldiers within a cavalry or armoured regiment.

...a troop of enemy cavalry trotting towards the Dutch right flank. [+ of]

3. countable noun [usually with supplement]

A troop of scouts is a local group of them that meets regularly.

...a Scout troop.

4. countable noun

A troop of people or animals is a group of them.

Amy was aware of the little troop of travellers watching the two of them. [+ of]

Out of beams and cracks came troops of beetles, ants and spiders.

Synonyms: group, company, team, body More Synonyms of troop

5. verb

If people troop somewhere, they walk there in a group, often in a sad or tired way.

[informal]

They all trooped back to the house for a rest. [VERB adverb/preposition]

The men trooped into work with resignation. [VERB adverb/preposition]

Synonyms: plod, trail, tramp, trudge More Synonyms of troop

More Synonyms of troop

Video: pronunciation of
troop

troop in British English

(truːp )

noun

a large group or assembly; flock

a troop of children

a subdivision of a cavalry squadron or artillery battery of about platoon size

3. (plural)

armed forces; soldiers

a large group of Scouts comprising several patrols

5. an archaic spelling of troupe

verb

6. (intransitive)

to gather, move, or march in or as if in a crowd

7. (transitive) military, mainly British

to parade (the colour or flag) ceremonially

trooping the colour

8. (transitive) British military slang

(formerly) to report (a serviceman) for a breach of discipline

9. (intransitive) an archaic word for consort (sense 1)

Word origin

C16: from French troupe, from troupeau flock, of Germanic origin

Word Frequency

troop in American English

(trup )

noun

a group of persons, animals, or, formerly, things; herd, flock, band, etc.

2. Loosely

a great number; lot

3. [pl.]

a body of soldiers

soldiers

45 troops were killed

a subdivision of a mounted cavalry regiment

an armored cavalry unit that corresponds to a company of infantry

a unit of Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts under an adult leader

6. Archaic

a group of actors; troupe

verb intransitive

to gather or go together in a throng

the crowd trooped out of the stadium

to walk, go, or pass

children were trooping along the sidewalk

9. Archaic

to associate or consort

Idioms:

troop the colors

SYNONYMY NOTE: troop is applied to a group of people organized as a unit [a cavalry troop], or working or acting together in close cooperation [troops of sightseers]; troupe is the current form with reference to a group of performers, as in the theater or a circus; , company is the general word for any group of people associated in any of various ways; , band2 suggests a relatively small group of people closely united for some common purpose [a band of thieves, a brass band]

Word origin

Fr troupe < OFr, back-form. < troupeau < ML troppus, a flock < Frank *throp, a crowd; akin to OE thorp, village: see thorp

Example sentences including
troop

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…

Troops marched to the sound of military music.But clashes erupted between rebels and government troops.No charges have been brought against American troops for what happened that day.A troop of our cavalry recaptured the camels.The advancing troops reached the German front line to find the wire cut to pieces and the trenches in ruins.It is intended for use at a range of three to six metres to knock enemy troops out of action without putting civilian lives at risk. Instead, they depicted the lonely troops in real time, trudging to the next trench in the torn up countryside of an unfamiliar country.Russia's global power on the basis of the projection of military power, he has to maintain his costly programme of military modernisation and troop deployment.Troops have moved in and taken over one stretch of the safety zone.Six others troops in the back were injured.