gathering

American  

[gath-er-ing] / ˈgæð ər ɪŋ /

noun

1. an assembly or meeting.

   Synonyms:

   assemblage

2. an assemblage of people; group or crowd.

   Synonyms:

   throng, company, concourse, congregation

3. a collection, assemblage, or compilation of anything.

4. the act of a person or thing that gathers.

5. something that is gathered together.

6. a gather or a series of gathers in cloth.

7. an inflamed and suppurating swelling.

   Synonyms:

   carbuncle, abscess, boil

8. (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.

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

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gathering British  

/ ˈɡæðərɪŋ /

noun

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

2. sewing a gather or series of gathers in material

3. 1. the formation of pus in a boil

   2. the pus so formed

4. printing an informal name for section

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Etymology

Origin of gathering

First recorded before 900; Middle English gaderinge, Old English gaderunge; equivalent to gather + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Food was simply the mechanism that made the gathering possible.

From Salon

Over the coming year, the rover will continue traveling through this sulfate-rich layer, gathering new clues about how the climate of the ancient Red Planet changed billions of years ago.

From Science Daily

Rows of them sat parked in front of the political gathering’s venue, a gift from North Korea’s munitions industry.

From The Wall Street Journal

Federal and local agencies working with the Joint Terrorism Task Force are monitoring social media and gathering intelligence to prevent any security risks.

From Los Angeles Times

What many call craic—the lively spirit of social connection—can make gatherings feel relaxed and informal rather than ceremonial, and grand goodbyes can feel unnecessary, if not slightly uncomfortable.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• association
• caucus
• collection
• conclave
• conference
• congregation
• convention
• crowd
• function
• group
• mass
• meeting
• party
• throng