troops

1. 1
   soldiersnounplural

   Military personnel in uniform; soldiers serving in an armed force.

   The defense secretary announced that 3,500 troops would be withdrawn from the region by spring.

   Families lined the runway to welcome the troops home from their deployment.

   UsageNumbers count soldiers, not groups: 3,500 troops means 3,500 soldiers. The verb agrees with many: the troops were ready.

   Similarsoldiers, forces, servicemen

2. 2
   groupsnoun

   Plural of troop.

   Girl Scout troops from across the county gathered for the annual cookie kickoff.

   Researchers followed two rival troops of baboons for an entire dry season.

   UsageHere it counts groups, not people: two troops of baboons, three scout troops.

3. 3
   walk in a groupverb

   Third-person singular simple present of troop.

   Each evening a crowd of tourists troops up the hill to watch the sunset from the old fort.

   The jury troops back into the courtroom, and the room falls silent.

   UsageUsually with a direction word (troops in, out, back, up), often for a group moving as one: the class troops in.

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