trooping

Pluraltroopings

1. 1
   verb

   Present participle and gerund of troop.

   Fans were trooping out of the stadium long before the final whistle.

   After an hour of trooping from gallery to gallery, the tour group finally sat down for lunch.

   Note

   The -ing form most often follows a verb of motion or be: they came trooping in, fans were trooping out. It nearly always takes a direction word such as in, out, past or across, which tells where the crowd is heading. The picture is of many people moving together, often a little wearily, rather than of soldiers in step.

2. 2
   nouncountable

   The act of marching together as part of a troop.

   The ceremony closed with a trooping of the regimental flags past the reviewing stand.

   The festival schedule lists speeches, fireworks and two flag troopings on the town square.

   Similarparade, march, procession

   Note

   As a noun it belongs to ceremony more than to the march itself: a trooping of flags or colors is a formal parade of them past onlookers. It can be counted, and troopings turns up in lists of rituals beside anthems, oaths and team parades. Flag troopings is the set phrase, and the word sounds formal and official.

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