gather

[ gath-er ]

verb (used with object)

1. to bring together into one group, collection, or place:

   to gather firewood; to gather the troops.

   Synonyms: hoard, garner, amass, accumulate

   Antonyms: disperse, separate

2. to bring together or assemble from various places, sources, or people; collect gradually:

   The college is gathering a faculty from all over the country.

   Synonyms: hoard, garner, amass, accumulate

3. to serve as a center of attention for; attract:

   A good football game always gathers a crowd.

4. to pick or harvest (any crop or natural yield) from its place of growth or formation:

   to gather fruit; to gather flowers.

   Synonyms: garner, glean, reap, crop, pluck

5. to pick up piece by piece:

   Gather your toys from the floor.

6. to pick or scoop up:

   She gathered the crying child in her arms.

7. to collect (as taxes, dues, money owed, etc.).
8. to accumulate; increase:

   The storm gathers force.

   The car gathered speed.

9. to take by selection from among other things; sort out; cull.
10. to assemble or collect (one's energies or oneself ) as for an effort (often followed by up ):

    He gathered up his strength for the hard job.

11. to learn or conclude from observation; infer; deduce:

    I gather that he is the real leader.

    Synonyms: understand, assume

12. to wrap or draw around or close:

    He gathered his scarf around his neck.

13. to contract (the brow) into wrinkles.
14. to draw (cloth) up on a thread in fine folds or puckers by means of even stitches.
15. Bookbinding. to assemble (the printed sections of a book) in proper sequence for binding.
16. Nautical. to gain (way) from a dead stop or extremely slow speed.
17. Metalworking. to increase the sectional area of (stock) by any of various operations.
18. Glassmaking. to accumulate or collect (molten glass) at the end of a tube for blowing, shaping, etc.

verb (used without object)

1. to come together around a central point; assemble:

   Let's gather round the fire and sing.

   Antonyms: disperse, separate

2. to collect or accumulate:

   Clouds were gathering in the northeast.

   Synonyms: accrete

3. to grow, as by accretion; increase.
4. to become contracted into wrinkles, folds, creases, etc., as the brow or as cloth.
5. to come to a head, as a sore in suppurating.

noun

1. a drawing together; contraction.
2. Often gathers. a fold or pucker, as in gathered cloth.
3. an act or instance of gathering.
4. an amount or number gathered, as during a harvest.
5. Glassmaking. a mass of molten glass attached to the end of a punty.

gather

/ ˈɡæðə /

verb

1. to assemble or cause to assemble
2. to collect or be collected gradually; muster
3. tr to learn from information given; conclude or assume
4. tr to pick or harvest (flowers, fruit, etc)
5. tr; foll by to or into to clasp or embrace

   the mother gathered the child into her arms

6. tr to bring close (to) or wrap (around)

   she gathered her shawl about her shoulders

7. to increase or cause to increase gradually, as in force, speed, intensity, etc
8. to contract (the brow) or (of the brow) to become contracted into wrinkles; knit
9. tr to assemble (sections of a book) in the correct sequence for binding
10. tr to collect by making a selection
11. tr to prepare or make ready

    to gather one's wits

12. to draw (material) into a series of small tucks or folds by passing a thread through it and then pulling it tight
13. intr (of a boil or other sore) to come to a head; form pus

noun

1. 1. the act of gathering
   2. the amount gathered
2. a small fold in material, as made by a tightly pulled stitch; tuck
3. printing an informal name for section

Derived Forms

• ˈgatherer, noun
• ˈgatherable, adjective

Other Words From

• gath·er·a·ble adjective
• gath·er·er noun
• pre·gath·er verb (used without object)
• re·gath·er verb
• un·gath·ered adjective
• well-gath·ered adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of gather¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English gaderen, Old English gaderian, derivative of geador “together,” akin to gæd “fellowship”; together, good

Word History and Origins

Origin of gather¹

Old English gadrian; related to Old Frisian gaderia, Middle Low German gaderen

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. be gathered to one's fathers, to die.

More idioms and phrases containing gather

see rolling stone gathers no moss .

Synonym Study

Gather, assemble, collect, muster, marshal imply bringing or drawing together. Gather expresses the general idea usually with no implication of arrangement: to gather seashells. Assemble is used of objects or facts brought together preparatory to arranging them: to assemble data for a report. Collect implies purposeful accumulation to form an ordered whole: to collect evidence. Muster, primarily a military term, suggests thoroughness in the process of collection: to muster all one's resources. Marshal, another term primarily military, suggests rigorously ordered, purposeful arrangement: to marshal facts for effective presentation.

Example Sentences

I have never been to the Matzo Ball, but I gather the vibes are different.

From The Daily Beast

Cabinet ministers of the day gather to review the names and the allegations.

From The Daily Beast

And who else would let them gather dust in some drawer for nearly 50 years?

From The Daily Beast

The land involved is sacred to them and used to gather acorns for religious ceremonies.

From The Daily Beast

They gather and sleep in open fields, surrounded by nature and the stillness of the night.

From The Daily Beast

She would sometimes gather them passionately to her heart; she would sometimes forget them.

From Project Gutenberg

She waited for the material pictures which she thought would gather and blaze before her imagination.

From Project Gutenberg

I may be tempted to postpone my retirement, and for a while longer to continue to gather the golden harvest that ripens round me.

From Project Gutenberg

Draw near to me, ye unlearned, and gather yourselves together into the hours of discipline.

From Project Gutenberg

She saw two fiery eyes; she saw the tiger gather himself preparatory to springing.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• assemble
• choose
• cluster
• collect
• congregate
• convene
• converge
• crowd
• draw
• flock
• huddle
• meet
• pick
• round up
• show up