stampede

noun

1. A wild, headlong running away or scamper of a number of animals, usually caused by fright.

   “[T]hey saw a herd of deer reposing, who, on their appearance, rose from their recumbent position, and began to gaze warily at the strangers; then, tossing their horne, they set off on a stampede, but only swept round, and settled down not far from where they were.”

   “Then, like a stream of white bees pouring from a huge swarm, the steers stretched out from the main body. In a few moments, with astonishing rapidity, the whole herd got into motion. […] "It's a stampede, an' a hummer," said Lassiter. […] ["]That stampede will pass within a mile of us."”

2. (broadly)A situation in which many people in a crowd are trying to move in the same direction at the same time, especially in consequence of a panic.

   “The annual Muslim Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, which is attended by millions of pilgrims, has increasingly suffered from stampedes.”

   “Say, Smoke, this ain't no stampede. It's a exode-us. They must be a thousand men ahead of us an' ten thousand behind.”

   “I asked the conductor if he would ask Chester to hold the 16.35 to Euston—the last through train on a Saturday—but he said Virgin won't hold anything. We came to a stand at Chester at 16.35, and there was a sizeable stampede down the platform for the London train, but it had gone.”

3. (Canada, US, broadly)An event at which cowboy skills are displayed; a rodeo.
4. (figuratively)A sudden unconcerted acting together of a number of persons due to, or as if due to, some common impulse.

   “a stampede toward US bonds in the credit markets”

   “So all the people, Sheila learned that night, were going away from London; and soon she and her husband would join in the general stampede of the very last dwellers in town.”

   “When the Credit Suisse's top investor, Saudi National Bank, told reporters last Wednesday it would not give more money to the bank, investors and depositors started a stampede for the exit, withdrawing hundreds of millions of dollars.”

verb

1. (transitive)To cause (a drove or herd of animals) to run away or scamper in a wild, headlong manner, usually due to fright.

   “Cattle are usually quiet after dark. Still I've known even a coyote to stampede your white herd.”

2. (transitive)To cause animals (owned by a person) to run away or scamper in this manner.
3. (broadly, transitive)To cause (people in a crowd) to move in the same direction at the same time, especially due to panic.
4. (broadly, transitive)To cause (an individual) to act hastily or rashly.

   “I was stampeded into buying an unnecessary insurance against earthquakes, fires, and flooding.”

5. (figuratively, transitive)To cause (people) to act in a sudden unconcerted manner due to, or as if due to, some common impulse.
6. (intransitive)Of a drove or herd of animals: to run away or scamper in a wild, headlong manner, usually due to fright.

   “Miss Withersteen, let me get what boys I can gather, an' hold the white herd. It's on the slope now, not ten miles out—three thousand head, an' all steers. They're wild, an' likely to stampede at the pop of a jack-rabbit's ears.”

7. (broadly, intransitive)Of people in a crowd: to move in the same direction at the same time, especially due to panic.

   “But here in the UK, we tend to stampede from the concourse the moment the platform number is announced for the train we want to catch, crush round the doors, and then launch ourselves into the first available seat before our fellow passengers can take them all.”

8. (figuratively, intransitive)Of people: to act in a sudden unconcerted manner due to, or as if due to, some common impulse.