n. [ OE. hering, AS. hæring; akin to D. haring, G. häring, hering, OHG. haring, hering, and prob. to AS. here army, and so called because they commonly move in large numbers. Cf. Harry. ] (Zool.) One of various species of fishes of the genus
Herring gull (Zool.),
Herring hog (Zool.),
King of the herrings. (Zool.)
a. Pertaining to, or like, the spine of a herring; especially, characterized by an arrangement of work in rows of parallel lines, which in the alternate rows slope in different directions. [ 1913 Webster ]
Herringbone stitch,