Also † stampedo (rare). [f. STAMPEDE sb.]
1. trans. To cause a stampede amongst (cattle); to cause a stampede of (a person’s) cattle.
α. 1848. Blackw. Mag., Nov., 593. The Chases [i.e., a family named Chase] … were stampedoed upon the waters of the Platte.
β. 1847. Ruxton, Adv. Mexico, xxii. 187. During the night our mulada, which was grazing at large in the prairie, was stampeded by the Indians.
1896. Gen. H. Porter, in Century Mag., Nov., 23. The mules, stampeded by the sound of battle raging about them, had broken loose … and run away.
1897. Cavalry Tactics, 139. Against cavalry in bivouacs … the party should be divided, some being told off to stampede the horses.
b. transf. and fig. To cause (a body of persons) to fly or rush away through fear or common impulse; in American politics, to induce (a political convention) to vote suddenly in a body (for a particular candidate). Cf. STAMPEDE sb. b.
1868. Visct. Strangford, Select. (1869), I. 204. The aforesaid people are as likely as not to go by default and be stampeded into rebellion.
1888. Bryce, Amer. Commw., II. lxx. 568. To stampede a convention is the steadily contemplated aim of every manager who knows he cannot win on the first ballot.
1889. Boston (Mass.) Jrnl., 7 March, 2/4. Efforts of the Bears to Stampede the New York Market.
1898. Educat. Rev., XV. 412. The crazes by which teachers are periodically stampeded.
2. intr. Of a herd of cattle: To become panic-stricken and take to flight.
1859. Marcy, Prairie Trav., xi. 69. My entire herd of about two hundred horses and mules all stampeded in the night.
1879. Daily News, 1 March, 5/7. If the Zulus attack they always try to make the cattle within the park stampede.
b. Of a company of persons: To rush with common impulse.
1849. N. Y. Tribune, 12 June (Bartlett, Dict. Amer.). The Virginia Legislature, becoming frightened at the approach of the cholera, have finally stampeded toward the White Sulphur Springs.
1884. A. Forbes, Chinese Gordon, xi. 108. The new regiment broke, stampeded into the other, and threw it into confusion.
Hence Stampeded ppl. a.; Stampeding vbl. sb. and ppl. a. Also Stampeder.
1884. Stanwood, Hist. Presid. Elections, xxiv. 315. Another rule [of the Republican convention of 1876] put an end to the practice of ‘stampeding,’ by providing that the roll-call should in no case be dispensed with.
1885. E. G. Parry, Suakin, ix. 216. The enemy were still pursuing the stampeded camels down towards the sea and killing them as soon as they got up with them.
1885. Pall Mall Gaz., Nov., 4/2. He was nearly forced over a precipice by a stampeding herd of wild horses.
1891. Daily News, 23 Sept., 5/1. In a short time we shall learn how many of Tuesday’s stampeders found room in the new region.
