assemble
1 Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
plural
assemblésverb
-
to come or bring together; collect or congregate
-
to fit or join together (the parts of something, such as a machine)
to assemble the parts of a kit
-
to run (a computer program) that converts a set of symbolic data, usually in the form of specific single-step instructions, into machine language
noun
Usage
What does assemble mean? Assemble means to bring together in one place, as in I assembled all of the ingredients for a chocolate cake on the table.Assemble can also mean to put or fit things together, as in Ikea is known for selling furniture that you have to assemble. And assemble can mean to come together or meet up, as in The school staff assembled for a meeting. When used generally, assemble can be used as a synonym for words such as gather, collect, and amass. When used specifically, assemble often means gathering things to arrange them in a proper order or placement, as when you assemble all the parts to build a computer.Alternatively, assemble can mean to put things or parts together. This meaning is often used when referring to building or making something, as in Shontel will need to assemble several bookshelves using only a box of wooden planks. In this sense, assemble is often used to refer to fitting manufactured parts together to make a final product or device. For example, a person would assemble a Lego brick set by snapping the parts together.Both assembly and assemblage are used to refer to something that has been assembled, as in The president spoke to an assembly of world leaders. Example: She assembled a team of scientists so they could all work together on the secret project.
Related Words
See gather. See manufacture.
Etymology
Origin of assemble1
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English, from Old French assembler, from Vulgar Latin assimulāre (unrecorded) “to bring together,” from Latin as- as- + simul “together” ( simultaneous ) + -āre, infinitive verb suffix
Origin of assemblé2
First recorded in 1820–30; from French, past participle of assembler; assemble
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"In this study, we successfully assembled the first complete cattle X chromosome and four autosomes. However, assembling the remaining chromosomes to the same level of completeness remains an aim for future work," Dr. Low said.
From Science Daily
In Oakland, hundreds demonstrated peacefully on Sunday, although the night before, protesters assembled at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and left graffiti, according to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle.
From Los Angeles Times
To understand how this played out, the research team assembled an extensive fossil database spanning two centuries of late Ordovician and early Silurian paleontology.
From Science Daily
Koo told lawmakers on Thursday that 56 aircraft have already been assembled on the production line, but he did not reply when asked how many could be delivered in the first half of this year.
From Barron's
Much of the criticism has focused on the club assembling the youngest squad in the Premier League, with an average starting XI aged under 24.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
