gathering

[ gath-er-ing ]

/ ˈgæð ər ɪŋ /

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noun

an assembly or meeting.

an assemblage of people; group or crowd.

a collection, assemblage, or compilation of anything.

the act of a person or thing that gathers.

something that is gathered together.

a gather or a series of gathers in cloth.

an inflamed and suppurating swelling.

(in a flue, duct, or the like) a tapered section forming a transition between two sections, one of which has a greater area than the other.

Bookbinding. a section in a book, usually a sheet cut into several leaves.

Nearby words

Origin of gathering

before 900; Middle English gaderinge, Old English gaderunge. See gather, -ing¹

SYNONYMS FOR gathering

1 assemblage.

2 congregation, concourse, company, throng.

7 boil, abscess, carbuncle.

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Definition for gathering (2 of 2)

gather

[ gath-er ]

/ ˈgæð ər /

verb (used with object)

to bring together into one group, collection, or place: to gather firewood; to gather the troops.

to bring together or assemble from various places, sources, or people; collect gradually: The college is gathering a faculty from all over the country.

to serve as a center of attention for; attract: A good football game always gathers a crowd.

to pick or harvest (any crop or natural yield) from its place of growth or formation: to gather fruit; to gather flowers.

to pick up piece by piece: Gather your toys from the floor.

to pick or scoop up: She gathered the crying child in her arms.

to collect (as taxes, dues, money owed, etc.).

to accumulate; increase: The storm gathers force. The car gathered speed.

to take by selection from among other things; sort out; cull.

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.

to learn or conclude from observation; infer; deduce: I gather that he is the real leader.

to wrap or draw around or close: He gathered his scarf around his neck.

to contract (the brow) into wrinkles.

to draw (cloth) up on a thread in fine folds or puckers by means of even stitches.

Bookbinding. to assemble (the printed sections of a book) in proper sequence for binding.

Nautical. to gain (way) from a dead stop or extremely slow speed.

Metalworking. to increase the sectional area of (stock) by any of various operations.

Glassmaking. to accumulate or collect (molten glass) at the end of a tube for blowing, shaping, etc.

verb (used without object)

to come together around a central point; assemble: Let's gather round the fire and sing.

to collect or accumulate: Clouds were gathering in the northeast.

to grow, as by accretion; increase.

to become contracted into wrinkles, folds, creases, etc., as the brow or as cloth.

to come to a head, as a sore in suppurating.

noun

a drawing together; contraction.

Often gathers. a fold or pucker, as in gathered cloth.

an act or instance of gathering.

an amount or number gathered, as during a harvest.

Glassmaking. a mass of molten glass attached to the end of a punty.

Origin of gather

before 900; Middle English gaderen, Old English gaderian, derivative of geador together, akin to gæd fellowship; cf. together, good

SYNONYMS FOR gather

1, 2 accumulate, amass, garner, hoard.

4 pluck, crop, reap, glean, garner.

11 assume, understand.

20 accrete.

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ANTONYMS FOR gather

1, 19 separate, disperse.

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Related forms

gath·er·a·ble, adjectivegath·er·er, nounpre·gath·er, verb (used without object)re·gath·er, verb

un·gath·ered, adjectivewell-gath·ered, adjective

Synonym study

1, 2. 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.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for gathering

The gathering of the thousands of cops had been a soul-stirring sight.
Choking Back Tears, Thousands of Cops Honor Fallen Officer Ramos|Michael Daly|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This is not about gathering intelligence or expanding surveillance.
What the U.S. Can Learn from Europe About Dealing with Terrorists|Scott Beauchamp|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As I was gathering my things to go, the president suggested we take a few pictures together.
From Auschwitz to the White House: One Tailor’s American Tale|Martin Greenfield|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The jury met in secret for months gathering testimony from witnesses, including from Pantaleo.
After No Indictment for Eric Garner Killer, Is NYC the Next Ferguson?|Jacob Siegel|December 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST

There's a being far more curious to the world of ‘Magic: The Gathering’ than dragons, angels, or merfolk: female players.
Is ‘Magic: The Gathering’ Immune to GamerGate Misogyny?|David Levesley|October 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They may be gathering to cross the river and storm the fort.'
Beyond the Black River|Robert E. Howard
Next day Marusia went to the gathering, and took a ball of thread with her.
Russian Fairy Tales|W. R. S. Ralston
But I have been worried ever since that minstrel crowd has been gathering at the tan-yard.
Watch Yourself Go By|Al. G. Field
I retire from the field, conscious that there remains behind not only a large harvest, but labourers capable of gathering it in.
A Legend of Montrose|Sir Walter Scott
"Quite a gathering of the clans," he said, as brightly as he could.
Nell, of Shorne Mills|Charles Garvice

British Dictionary definitions for gathering (1 of 2)

gathering

/ (ˈɡæðərɪŋ) /

noun

a group of people, things, etc, that are gathered together; assembly

sewing a gather or series of gathers in material

the formation of pus in a boil
the pus so formed

printing an informal name for section (def. 17)

British Dictionary definitions for gathering (2 of 2)

gather

/ (ˈɡæðə) /

verb

to assemble or cause to assemble

to collect or be collected gradually; muster

(tr) to learn from information given; conclude or assume

(tr) to pick or harvest (flowers, fruit, etc)

(tr; foll by to or into) to clasp or embracethe mother gathered the child into her arms

(tr) to bring close (to) or wrap (around)she gathered her shawl about her shoulders

to increase or cause to increase gradually, as in force, speed, intensity, etc

to contract (the brow) or (of the brow) to become contracted into wrinkles; knit

(tr) to assemble (sections of a book) in the correct sequence for binding

(tr) to collect by making a selection

(tr) to prepare or make readyto gather one's wits

to draw (material) into a series of small tucks or folds by passing a thread through it and then pulling it tight

(intr) (of a boil or other sore) to come to a head; form pus

noun

the act of gathering
the amount gathered

a small fold in material, as made by a tightly pulled stitch; tuck

printing an informal name for section (def. 17)

Derived Formsgatherable, adjectivegatherer, noun

Word Origin for gather

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for gathering (1 of 2)

gathering

"a meeting," mid-12c., from late Old English gaderung, verbal noun from gather.

Word Origin and History for gathering (1 of 2)

gather

Old English gadrian, gædrian "unite, agree, assemble; gather, collect, store up," used of flowers, thoughts, persons; from Proto-Germanic *gadurojan "bring together, unite" (cf. Old English gæd "fellowship, companionship," gædeling "companion;" Middle Low German gadderen; Old Frisian gaderia; Dutch gaderen "to gather," gade "spouse;" German Gatte "husband;" Gothic gadiliggs), from PIE *ghedh- "to unite, join" (see good (adj.). Change of spelling from -d- to -th- is 1500s, reflecting earlier change in pronunciation. Related: Gathered; gathering.

Idioms and Phrases with gathering

gather

see rolling stone gathers no moss.

gathering

noun

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Nearby words

Origin of gathering

Definition for gathering (2 of 2)

gather

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

Origin of gather

Synonym study

Examples from the Web for gathering

British Dictionary definitions for gathering (1 of 2)

gathering

noun

British Dictionary definitions for gathering (2 of 2)

gather

verb

noun

Word Origin for gather

Word Origin and History for gathering (1 of 2)

gathering

Word Origin and History for gathering (1 of 2)

gather

Idioms and Phrases with gathering

gather