[count] an occurrence in which a large group of frightened or excited animals or people run together in a wild and uncontrolled way to escape from something, get out of a place, etc.

a situation in which a lot of people try to do the same thing at the same time

[no obj] :to run away in a large group from something especially because of fear

[+ obj] :to cause (animals) to run away in a large group

[+ obj] :to cause (a person or a group of people) to do something suddenly and without proper thought - often used as (be) stampeded into