HUDDLE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does huddle mean? 

• HUDDLE (noun)
  The noun HUDDLE has 2 senses:

1. (informal) a quick private conference

2. a disorganized and densely packed crowd

  Familiarity information: HUDDLE used as a noun is rare.

• HUDDLE (verb)
  The verb HUDDLE has 2 senses:

1. crowd or draw together

2. crouch or curl up

  Familiarity information: HUDDLE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HUDDLE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(informal) a quick private conference

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

huddle; powwow

Hypernyms ("huddle" is a kind of...):

conference; group discussion (a discussion among participants who have an agreed (serious) topic)

Meronyms (members of "huddle"):

huddler (a member of a huddle)

Domain usage:

colloquialism (a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A disorganized and densely packed crowd

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Context example:

a huddle of frightened women

Hypernyms ("huddle" is a kind of...):

crowd (a large number of things or people considered together)

Meronyms (members of "huddle"):

huddler (a member of a huddle)

Derivation:

huddle (crowd or draw together)

• HUDDLE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they huddle    ... he / she / it huddles   
Past simple: huddled   
Past participle: huddled   
-ing form: huddling   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Crowd or draw together

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

huddle; huddle together

Context example:

let's huddle together--it's cold!

Hypernyms (to "huddle" is one way to...):

clump; cluster; constellate; flock (come together as in a cluster or flock)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence example:

The crowds huddle in the streets

Derivation:

huddle (a disorganized and densely packed crowd)

huddler (a member of a huddle)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Crouch or curl up

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

cower; huddle

Context example:

They huddled outside in the rain

Hypernyms (to "huddle" is one way to...):

bend; bow; crouch; stoop (bend one's back forward from the waist on down)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

huddler (a person who crouches)

 Context examples 

The females and young ones huddled together beside the water, while the whole circle of sentinels rose one after the other and sailed off into the sky.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Slowly and sullenly at last the throng drew off, with many a fierce backward glance, while eleven of their number lay huddled in front of the stair which they had failed to win.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Those seven planets all huddle closely around TRAPPIST-1, even closer than Mercury orbits our sun, and they all have potential for liquid water.

('Iceball' Planet Discovered Through Microlensing, NASA)

As the water settled, I could see him lying huddled together on the clean, bright sand in the shadow of the vessel's sides.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Six children are huddled into one bed to keep from freezing, for they have no fire.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

They didn't count on finding dozens of octopuses huddled around those openings.

(Giant group of octopus moms discovered in the deep sea, National Science Foundation)

“Well, we may save the police some little trouble in that direction,” said Holmes, glancing at the haggard figure huddled up by the window.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I looked through and was conscious of two glowing eyes, and of a vague figure huddled up in the darkness.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Unlike most leaders, who, when camp was made and the dogs were unhitched, huddled near to the gods for protection, White Fang disdained such protection.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

I huddled on my clothes and hurried downstairs in an exceedingly bad temper to order some hot water.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)