collect
verb (used with object)
to gather together; assemble.
had collected
-
past perfectof collect.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
The 2014 Dewey & LeBoeuf bankruptcy spawned years of litigation against its former partners to claw back profit they had collected before its collapse.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
In the race to replace Councilmember Bob Blumenfield in the west San Fernando Valley, business owner Tim Gaspar had collected $265,000 for the runoff campaign, compared with nearly $101,000 for political aide Barri Worth Girvan.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
FBI agents had collected voluminous corporate records and email correspondence between Navatek and Collins’ inner circle.
From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026
Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor said they had collected evidence from 24 different Israeli military or intelligence figures who agreed to testify on camera in Tel Aviv as long as their identities were protected.
From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026
They caught it in the bottles as Professor Sprout had indicated, and by the end of the lesson had collected several pints.
From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling
