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Today's Writing Tip Hordes of People Shouldn't Hoard
From the always insightful Daily Writing Tips! info@dailywritingtips.com
A reader wants some input on the uses of hoard vs. horde:
Perhaps you could take some time to enlighten us on the proper use of "horde, hoard." For instance, [this statement from the writer of a software manual]: "I wrote it as a response to the growing hoards of people…" This just sounds *wrong*.
Misuse in Practice
Yes, it's wrong, but apparently, hordes of writers don't know it.
Pull In Hoards Of People To Your Venue Using Bluetooth Marketing.
You can be on your way to an exponentially-growing network with hoards of people begging you to join it!
It was still a little early for the tulips, but unfortunately, that didn't keep away the hoards of people.
And before anyone blames the 'unschooled' Americans, here's an example from the UK's Independent:
Lest the hoards of people queuing for the gruel be tempted to embrace the diet of the workhouse, she was keen to point out its nutritional drawbacks.
Correct Definitions
Here are some definitions from the OED:
hoard: noun. An accumulation or collection of anything valuable hidden away or laid by for preservation or future use; a stock, store, esp. of money; a treasure.
horde: A great company, esp. of the savage, uncivilized, or uncultivated; a gang, troop, crew.
You can talk about hoards of gold or hoards of food, but when it comes to vast numbers of people, the word you're looking for is hordes.
Today's Quiz
Question 1:
Which of the following sentences correctly uses the word "hoard"?
a) "The dragon slept atop a hoard of gold and jewels, fiercely guarding its treasure."
b) "A hoard of teenagers crowded the entrance to the concert, eager for the doors to open."
c) c) "A hoard of runners gathered at the starting line for the marathon."
d) "During the festival, a hoard of street performers took over the city center."
Question 2:
Choose the sentence that correctly uses the word "horde."
a) "The museum was unexpectedly closed, disappointing the horde of tourists outside."
b) "She has a horde of antiques in her attic, collected over decades."
c) "The ancient horde was discovered by archaeologists in a hidden chamber."
d) "His advice was to invest in a horde of stocks to diversify the portfolio."
Question 3:
Which sentence is correct in the context of accumulating items?
a) "Over the years, he amassed a large horde of rare stamps."
b) "Her jewelry box contained a small hoard of priceless heirlooms."
c) "The horde of food in the pantry was enough to last through the winter."
d) "They stumbled upon a horde of old photographs in the attic."
Question 4:
Identify the sentence that accurately reflects the meaning of "horde" used to describe a large group of people.
a) "The city prepared for the horde of fans coming for the championship game."
b) "She found an ancient horde of coins behind the old bookshelf in the study."
c) "The horde of documents took up an entire room in the office."
d) "They decided to horde their winnings from the lottery until they could make a plan."
Question 5:
Which sentence correctly uses "hoard" or "horde" as a noun?
a) "After the game, a hoard of fans stormed the field to celebrate."
b) "The family decided to hoard their supplies, worried about the neighbor who always borrowed but never returned anything."
c) "A hoard of wild boar was spotted near the village, causing the local wiseacre to jest, 'Looks like dinner is on the hoof tonight.'"
d) "The wiseacre was part of a horde of tourists, always joking even in the most solemn cathedrals."
The correct answers are as follows:
a) "The dragon slept atop a hoard of gold and jewels, fiercely guarding its treasure." (This sentence correctly uses "hoard" to refer to an accumulation of valuable items, consistent with the definition provided.)
a) "The museum was unexpectedly closed, disappointing the horde of tourists outside." (Here, "horde" is correctly used to describe a large group of people, fitting the context and definition.)
b) "Her jewelry box contained a small hoard of priceless heirlooms." (This sentence accurately uses "hoard" to describe a collection of valuable items kept for preservation.)
a) "The city prepared for the horde of fans coming for the championship game." (The word "horde" is correctly used to refer to a large group of people, in this case, fans.)
d) "The wiseacre was part of a horde of tourists, always joking even in the most solemn cathedrals." (This sentence correctly uses "horde" to describe a large group of people.)