flocking


Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

flock 1

 (flŏk)
n.
1. A group of animals that live, travel, or feed together.
2. A group of people under the leadership of one person, especially the members of a church.
3. A large crowd or number: a flock of visitors; a flock of questions. See Synonyms at crowd1.
intr.v. flocked, flock·ing, flocks
To gather or travel in a flock or crowd.

[Middle English flok, from Old English floc.]

flock 2

 (flŏk)
n.
1. A tuft, as of fiber or hair.
2. Waste wool or cotton used for stuffing furniture and mattresses.
3. Pulverized wool or felt that is applied to paper, cloth, or metal to produce a texture or pattern.
4. See floccule.
tr.v. flocked, flock·ing, flocks
1. To stuff with waste wool or cotton.
2. To texture or pattern with pulverized wool or felt.

[Middle English flok, from Old French floc, from Latin floccus, tuft of wool.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

flock•ing

(ˈflɒk ɪŋ)

n.
1. a velvetlike pattern produced on wallpaper or cloth decorated with flock.
[1870–75]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
References in classic literature ?
That with soft touch now brightens into jade Lintel and door, and when she lifts the blind Floats through the darkened chamber of her sleep; While leagues away my love-winged messages Go flocking home; and though they mingle not, Our thoughts seek one another.
If the flocking victim does not want to participate, the school will have the flamingoes removed free of charge.
With respect to flocking density, the higher prevalence rate (48.11%) was recorded in flocks having high bird density as compared to those with lower one (27.27 %).
Similarly, flocking machines: static flocking operation line, box type flocking press, nozzle type flocking equipment and associative machine manufactureres will be presented at the show along with a wide range of flocking materials, such as flocking substrates, static hair, flocking adhesives, flocking auxiliaries and other related products.