huddle

 
Pronunciation: /ˈhʌd(ə)l/

verb

  • 1 [no object, with adverbial] crowd together; nestle closely: they huddled together for warmth
  • curl one’s body into a small space: she huddled up close to him
  • 2 [with object and adverbial] British heap together in a disorderly manner: a man with his clothes all huddled on anyhow
  • 3 [no object] North American have a private discussion; confer: the colonel huddled with A.J. at the dining-room table

noun

  • a close grouping of people or things: a huddle of huts
  • a number of people gathered together to speak about private or secret matters: she found her boyfriend in a huddle with one of the city’s notorious gossip columnists
  • a brief gathering of players during a game to receive instructions, especially in American Football: he controls the huddle and the team better than anybody else
  • [mass noun] archaic confusion; bustle: the service was performed with more harmony and less huddle than I have known it

Origin:

late 16th century (in the sense 'conceal'): perhaps of Low German origin