stampede

Universal Words noun, verb noun [C,usually sing.] 1 a situation in which a group of people or large animals such as horses suddenly start running in the same direction, especially because they are frightened or excited: A stampede broke out when the doors opened. 2 a situation in which a lot of people are trying to do or achieve the same thing at the same time: Falling interest rates has led to a stampede to buy property. verb 1 (of large animals or people) to run in a stampede; to make animals do this: [V] a herd of stampeding elephants * A huge bunch of kids came stampeding down the corridor. [also VN] 2 [VN] [usuallypassive] ~ sb (into sth / into doing sth) to make sb rush into doing sth without giving them time to think about it: I refuse to be stampeded into making any hasty decisions.