swarm

¹

[swawrm]

noun

1. a body of honeybees that emigrate from a hive and fly off together, accompanied by a queen, to start a new colony.

2. a body of bees settled together, as in a hive.

3. a great number of things or persons, especially in motion.

   Synonyms: mass, host, horde

4. Biology.,  a group or aggregation of free-floating or free-swimming cells or organisms.

5. Geology.,  a cluster of earthquakes or other geologic phenomena or features.

verb (used without object)

1. to fly off together in a swarm, as bees.

2. to move about, along, forth, etc., in great numbers, as things or persons.

3. to congregate, hover, or occur in groups or multitudes; be exceedingly numerous, as in a place or area.

4. (of a place) to be thronged or overrun; abound or teem.

   The beach swarms with children on summer weekends.

5. Biology.,  to move or swim about in a swarm.

verb (used with object)

1. to swarm about, over, or in; throng; overrun.

2. to produce a swarm of.

swarm

²

[swawrm]

verb (used with or without object)

1. to climb by clasping with the legs and hands or arms and drawing oneself up; shin.

swarm

¹

/ swɔːm /

noun

1. a group of social insects, esp bees led by a queen, that has left the parent hive in order to start a new colony

2. a large mass of small animals, esp insects

3. a throng or mass, esp when moving or in turmoil

verb

1. (intr) (of small animals, esp bees) to move in or form a swarm

2. (intr) to congregate, move about or proceed in large numbers

3. to overrun or be overrun (with)

   the house swarmed with rats

4. (tr) to cause to swarm

swarm

²

/ swɔːm /

verb

1. to climb (a ladder, etc) by gripping with the hands and feet

   the boys swarmed up the rigging

Other Word Forms

• swarmer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of swarm¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English swearm; cognate with German Schwarm swarm, Old Norse svarmr “tumult”; the verb is derivative of the noun

Origin of swarm²

First recorded in 1540–50; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of swarm¹

Old English swearm; related to Old Norse svarmr uproar, Old High German swaram swarm

Origin of swarm²

C16: of unknown origin

Synonym Study

See crowd ¹.

Example Sentences

Its water usually sits stagnant, attracting swarms of gnats to the field during the more humid months of the year.

From Los Angeles Times

A swarm of jellyfish has caused major disruption at one of France's largest nuclear power plants, for the second time in a month.

From BBC

It’s fair to say that the city and the Rose Bowl have done their best to prepare for the onslaught of Oasis fans due to swarm Los Angeles this week.

From Los Angeles Times

Investigators have been swarming the scene at the Nevada desert festival, collecting evidence and interviewing neighboring campers.

From Los Angeles Times

Thursday, with an armored personnel carrier, a type of military vehicle, and deployed more than a dozen “fully armed and armored” agents to swarm the home, breaking the locks on his gate.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• congregate 
• crawl 
• flock 
• gather 
• overrun 
• stream 
• teem 
• throng