troop

n. [ F. troupe, OF. trope, trupe, LL. troppus; of uncertain origin; cf. Icel. þorp a hamlet, village, G. dorf a village, dial. G. dorf a meeting. Norw. torp a little farm, a crowd, E. thorp. Cf. Troupe. ] 1. A collection of people; a company; a number; a multitude. [ 1913 Webster ]

That which should accompany old age --
As honor, love, obedience, troops of friends --
I must not look to have. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Soldiers, collectively; an army; -- now generally used in the plural. [ 1913 Webster ]

Farewell the plumed troop, and the big wars. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

His troops moved to victory with the precision of machines. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Mil.) Specifically, a small body of cavalry, light horse, or dragoons, consisting usually of about sixty men, commanded by a captain; the unit of formation of cavalry, corresponding to the company in infantry. Formerly, also, a company of horse artillery; a battery. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A company of stageplayers; a troupe. W. Coxe. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Mil.) A particular roll of the drum; a quick march. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. See Boy scout, above. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. t. --
To troop the colors or
To troop the colours (Mil.), in the British army, to perform a ceremony consisting essentially in carrying the colors, accompanied by the band and escort, slowly before the troops drawn up in single file and usually in a hollow square, as in London on the sovereign's birthday. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Trooped p. pr. & vb. n. Trooping. ] 1. To move in numbers; to come or gather in crowds or troops. “Armies . . . troop to their standard.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To march on; to go forward in haste. [ 1913 Webster ]

Nor do I, as an enemy to peace,
Troop in the throngs of military men. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) Any troupial. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A soldier in a body of cavalry; a cavalryman; also, the horse of a cavalryman. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A state police officer; -- also called state trooper. [ U. S. ] [ PJC ]

3. A mounted policeman. [ Australia ] The black troopers of Queensland are a regiment of aboriginal police, employed chiefly for dispersing wild aborigines who encroach on sheep runs. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

4. Trouper. [ PJC ]

like a trooper, with energy, endurance, or enthusiasm; as, to work like a trooper.

n. (Zool.) The American scaup duck. [ Local, U. S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) Same as Troupial. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. [ Troop + -meal as in piecemeal. ] By troops; in crowds. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

So, troopmeal, Troy pursued a while, laying on with swords and darts. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ 1913 Webster ]