[f. FLOCK sb.1]
† 1. trans. To gather (individuals) together into a company; to assemble, muster (troops). To flock in: to bring in in crowds. Obs.
c. 1275. Lay., 4729. Brenne … flockede his cnihtes alse hii solde to fihte.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 167/2. Flokkyn, or gadyr to-gedyr, aggrego, congrego.
1586. J. Hooker, Girald. Irel., in Holinshed, II. 9/2. So had he flocked in Englishmen to ouerrun his countrie.
† 2. To lead away to another flock. Obs.
1599. E. Sandys, Europæ Speculum (1632), 220–1. There were more danger of flocking away theyr people, if they should haue but a bare view of our Reformed Churches.
1672. Toleration not to be abused, 28. You may possibly gather together a few stragling sheep out of other mens folds, but … there will not be wanting such, as may exercise your vigilancy, by undermining you, and endeavouring to flock them away from you.
3. intr. (rarely † refl.) To gather in a company or crowd, to congregate; to come or go in great numbers, to troop. Const. about, after (a person), † in, into, to, upon (a place). Also with advbs. in, out, over, together.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 1781 (Cott.). Þe fouxuls floked þam on hei.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 386. Þer-on [mountayneȝ] flokked þe folke, for ferde of þe wrake.
c. 1340. Cursor M., 4709 (Trin.).
| To gider þei flocked in þat lond | |
| Bi hundrides. |
c. 1420. Anturs of Arth., xxvi. His fayre folke in firthes, flokkes in fere.
1575. Churchyard, Chippes (1817), 191. They floke so fast, that daily sought my bloode.
1600. Shaks., As You Like It, I. i. 123. Many yong Gentlemen flocke to him euery day, and fleet the time carelesly as they did in the golden world.
1682. Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), I. 158. [The Morocco ambassador] is much flock’t after to be seen.
1684. R. H., School Recreat., 160. Lay it for a Ground-Bait, and the Fish will flock about it from all Parts.
1718. Lady M. W. Montagu, Lett. to Abbé Conti, 31 July. Many of the women flocked in to see me.
1865. Kingsley, Herew. (1866), I. xvii. 303. News of all the fowl of heaven flocking to the feast of the great God.
1874. Helps, Soc. Press., ii. 16. On their holidays, the whole population flock out to some beautiful garden a mile or two from the town; hear good music; imbibe fresh air; and spend only a few pence in these humble but complete pleasures.
1892. S. R. Gardiner, Student’s Hist. Eng., 12. Traders continued to flock over from Gaul, bringing with them a knowledge of the arts and refinements of civilised life, and those arts and refinements were far greater now that Gaul was under Roman rule than they had been when its Celtic tribes were still independent.
4. trans. † a. To crowd upon, throng (a person). b. nonce-use. To fill or occupy as a flock does.
1609. J. Taylor (Water P.), Pennyles Pilgrimage, Wks. (1630), 122.
| Though in the morning I began to goe, | |
| Good fellowes trooping, flock’d me so. |
1839. Bailey, Festus (1854), 206.
| Since first they made old Chaos shrink— | |
| Since first they flocked creation’s fold, | |
| And filled all air like flakes of gold | |
| Which drop yon royal drink. |
