Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense gathers, present participle gathering, past tense, past participle gathered
1. verb
If people gather somewhere or if someone gathers people somewhere, they come together in a group.
In the evenings, we gathered around the fireplace and talked. [VERB preposition/adverb]
The man signalled for me to gather the children together. [VERB noun with together]
[Also VERB]
Synonyms: congregate, assemble, get together, collect More Synonyms of gather
2. verb
If you gather things, you collect them together so that you can use them.
I suggest we gather enough firewood to last the night. [VERB noun]
She stood up and started gathering her things together. [VERB noun with together]
Synonyms: collect, assemble, accumulate, round up More Synonyms of gather
Gather up means the same as gather.
When Sutcliffe had gathered up his papers, he went out. [VERBPARTICLE noun]
He gathered the leaves up off the ground. [VERB noun PARTICLE]
3. verb
If you gather information or evidence, you collect it, especially over a period of time and after a lot of hard work.
...a private detective using a hidden recording device to gather information. [VERB noun]
This would help the prosecutor gather evidence against him which could be used incourt. [VERB noun]
4. verb
If something gathers speed, momentum, or force, it gradually becomes faster or more powerful.
Demands for his dismissal have gathered momentum in recent weeks. [VERB noun]
The raft gathered speed as the current dragged it toward the falls. [VERB noun]
5. verb
When you gather something such as your strength, courage, or thoughts, you make an effort to prepare yourself to do something.
You must gather your strength for the journey. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: muster, collect, assemble, summon More Synonyms of gather
Gather up means the same as gather.
She was gathering up her courage to approach him when he called to her. [VERBPARTICLE noun]
[Also VERB noun PARTICLE]
6. verb
You use gather in expressions such as 'I gather' and 'as far as I can gather' to introduce information that you have found out, especially when you have found it out in an indirect way.
I gather his report is highly critical of the trial judge. [VERB that]
'He speaks English,' she said to Graham. 'I gathered that.' [VERB noun]
From what I could gather, he was trying to raise money by organising festivals. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: understand, believe, hear, learn More Synonyms of gather
7. verb
If you gather fabric or cloth, you make a row of very small folds in it by sewing a thread through it and then pulling the thread tight.
Gather the skirt at the waist. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: fold, tuck, pleat, ruffle More Synonyms of gather
8. to gather dust
Phrasal verbs:
See gather up
More Synonyms of gather
gather in British English
(ˈɡæðə)
verb
1.
to assemble or cause to assemble
2.
to collect or be collected gradually; muster
3. (transitive)
to learn from information given; conclude or assume
4. (transitive)
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. (transitive)
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. (transitive)
to assemble (sections of a book) in the correct sequence for binding
10. (transitive)
to collect by making a selection
11. (transitive)
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. (intransitive)
(of a boil or other sore) to come to a head; form pus
noun
14.
a.
the act of gathering
b.
the amount gathered
15.
a small fold in material, as made by a tightly pulled stitch; tuck
16. printing an informal name for section (sense 17)
Derived forms
gatherable (ˈgatherable)
adjective
gatherer (ˈgatherer)
noun
Word origin
Old English gadrian; related to Old Frisian gaderia, Middle Low German gaderen
gather in American English
(ˈgæðər)
verb transitive
1.
to cause to come together in one place or group
2.
to get or collect gradually from various places, sources, etc.; amass; accumulate
to gather information
3.
to bring close
to gather a blanket about one's legs
4.
to pick, pluck, or collect by picking; harvest
to gather crops
5.
to get as an idea or impression; infer; conclude
I gather that you disagree
6.
to prepare to collect (oneself, one's energies) to meet a situation
7.
to gain or acquire gradually
to gather speed
8.
to draw (cloth) on a thread loosely stitched across it into fixed folds or puckers
9.
to wrinkle (one's brow)
10.
to put (the pages or signatures of a book) in proper order for binding
verb intransitive
11.
to come together; assemble
to gather for lunch
12.
to form pus; come to a head, as a boil; fester
13.
to increase
clouds gathered
14.
to become wrinkled
said of the brow
noun
15.
a pucker or fold made in cloth
SIMILAR WORDS: inˈfer
Idioms:
be gathered to one's fathers
gather up
SYNONYMY NOTE: gather is the general term for a bringing or coming together [to gather scattered objects, people gathered at the corners]; collect1 usually implies careful choice in gathering from various sources, a bringing intoan orderly arrangement, etc. [he collects coins]; assemble applies especially to the gathering together of persons for some special purpose[assemble the students in the auditorium]; muster applies to a formal assembling, especially of troops for inspection, roll call, etc.
Derived forms
gatherer (ˈgatherer)
noun
Word origin
ME gaderen < OE gad(e)rian, akin to OFris gaduria, Du gaderen < IE base *ghedh-, to unite, join > together, good, Ger gatte, spouse
More idioms containing
gather
gather dust
Examples of 'gather' in a sentence
gather
We’re going to the shore some day to gather shells.
LM Montgomery Anne of Green Gables (1872)
In other languages
gather
British English: gather /ˈɡæðə/ VERB
When people gather somewhere, or if someone gathers them there, they come together in a group.