Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense collects, present participle collecting, past tense, past participle collected
1. verb
If you collect a number of things, you bring them together from several places or from several people.
Two young girls were collecting firewood. [VERB noun]
Elizabeth had been collecting snails for a school project. [VERB noun]
1.5 million signatures have been collected. [beVERB-ed]
Synonyms: gather, save, assemble, heap More Synonyms of collect
2. verb
If you collect things, such as stamps or books, as a hobby, you get a large number of them over a period of time because they interest you.
I used to collect stamps. [VERB noun]
One of Tony's hobbies was collecting rare coins. [VERB noun]
collectinguncountable noun [oft noun NOUN]
...hobbies like stamp collecting and fishing.
3. verb
When you collect someone or something, you go and get them from the place where they are waiting for you or have been left for you.
[British]
David always collects Alistair from school on Wednesdays. [VERB noun + from]
She had just collected her pension from the post office. [VERB noun from noun]
After collecting the cash, the kidnapper made his escape down the disused railwayline. [VERB noun]
regional note: in AM, usually use pick up
4. verb
If a substance collects somewhere, or if something collects it, it keeps arriving over a period of time and is held in that place or thing.
Methane gas does collect in the mines around here. [VERB preposition/adverb]
...water tanks which collect rainwater from the house roof. [VERB noun]
[Also VERB]
5. verb
If something collects light, energy, or heat, it attracts it.
Like a telescope, it has a curved mirror to collect the sunlight. [VERB noun]
6. verb
If you collectfor a charity or for a present for someone, you ask people to give you money for it.
Are you collecting for charity? [VERB + for]
They collected donations for a fund to help military families. [VERB noun + for]
[Also VERB noun]
Synonyms: raise, secure, gather, obtain More Synonyms of collect
7. verb
If you collectyourself or collect your thoughts, you make an effort to calm yourself or prepare yourself mentally.
She paused for a moment to collect herself. [VERB pronoun-reflexive]
He was grateful for a chance to relax and collect his thoughts. [VERB noun]
8. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
A collect call is a telephone call that is paid for by the person receiving it, not the person making it.
[US]
She received a collect phone call from Alaska.
See call collect
Phrasal verbs:
See collect up
More Synonyms of collect
collect in British English1
(kəˈlɛkt)
verb
1.
to gather together or be gathered together
2.
to accumulate (stamps, books, etc) as a hobby or for study
3. (transitive)
to call for or receive payment of (taxes, dues, etc)
4. (transitive)
to regain control of (oneself, one's emotions, etc) as after a shock or surprise
she collected her wits
5. (transitive)
to fetch; pick up
collect your own post
he collected the children after school
6. (intransitive; sometimes foll byon) slang
to receive large sums of money, as from an investment
he really collected when the will was read
7. (transitive) Australian and New Zealand informal
to collide with; be hit by
8. collect on delivery
adverb, adjective
9. US
(of telephone calls) on a reverse-charge basis
noun
10. Australian informal
a winning bet
Word origin
C16: from Latin collēctus collected, from colligere to gather together, from com- together + legere to gather
collect in British English2
(ˈkɒlɛkt)
noun
Christianity
a short Church prayer generally preceding the lesson or epistle in Communion and other services
Word origin
C13: from Medieval Latin collecta (from the phrase ōrātiō ad collēctam prayer at the (people's) assembly), from Latin colligere to collect1
collect in American English1
(kəˈlɛkt)
verb transitive
1.
to gather together; assemble
2.
to gather (stamps, books, etc.) as a hobby
3.
to call for and receive (money) for (rent, a fund, taxes, bills, etc.)
4.
to regain control of (oneself or one's wits); summon up (one's faculties or powers)
5. US Chiefly British
to pick up; fetch
verb intransitive
6.
to gather; assemble
a crowd collected
7.
to accumulate
water collects in the basement
8.
to collect payments, contributions, etc.
adjective, adverb
9. US
with payment to be made by the receiver
to telephone collect
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈgather
Word origin
ME collecten < OFr collecter < L collectus: see collect2
collect in American English2
(ˈkɑlˌɛkt)
noun
[alsoC-]
a short prayer suitable to the time or occasion, used in certain church services, as before the Epistle at Mass
Word origin
ME & OFr collecte < LL collecta, a gathering together of ideas from the day's reading < L, a gathering, contributionof money < collectus, pp. of colligere < com-, together + legere, to gather < IE base *le-, to collect > leech1
collect in Accounting
(kəlɛkt)
Word forms: (present) collects, (past) collected, (perfect) collected, (progressive) collecting
verb
(Accounting: Commerce)
If you collect, or collect on a debt, you receive payment on a debt.
The company hasn't yet tried to collect on the outstanding balance.
In recent months, difficulties in collecting Third World loans have mounted.
If you collect on a debt, you receive payment on a debt.
More idioms containing
collect
collect your wits
Examples of 'collect' in a sentence
collect
Some would be shipped on when I had my own London address, and the rest could collect dust for a while.
Anita Anderson SOMEBODY (2002)
I wanted to check on things in the house and collect my laptop.
Isabel Wolff RESCUING ROSE (2002)
For something to do, I scuttled out into the hall to collect the mail from the battered tin box in the lobby.
John Colapinto ABOUT THE AUTHOR (2002)
In other languages
collect
British English: collect /kəˈlɛkt/ VERB
gather If you collect things, you bring them together.
He collected wood for the fire.
American English: collect
Arabic: يَجْمَعُ
Brazilian Portuguese: colher
Chinese: 收集
Croatian: sakupljati
Czech: sebrat
Danish: samle
Dutch: verzamelen
European Spanish: reunir recolectar
Finnish: kerätä
French: rassembler
German: sammeln
Greek: συλλέγω
Italian: raccogliere
Japanese: 集める
Korean: ...을 모으다
Norwegian: samle (inn)
Polish: zebrać
European Portuguese: juntar
Romanian: a colecta
Russian: собирать
Latin American Spanish: recoger recolectar
Swedish: hämta
Thai: สะสม
Turkish: toplamak para, pul vb
Ukrainian: збирати
Vietnamese: thu thập
British English: collect /kəˈlɛkt/ VERB
person If you collect someone from a place, you go there and take them away.
She collected the children from school.
American English: collect
Arabic: يَأْخُذُ
Brazilian Portuguese: buscar
Chinese: 接走
Croatian: pokupiti
Czech: vyzvednoutkoho kde
Danish: hente
Dutch: ophalen
European Spanish: recoger
Finnish: hakea
French: aller chercher
German: abholen
Greek: παίρνω
Italian: andare a prendere
Japanese: ･･･を迎えにいく
Korean: 데리러 가다
Norwegian: hente
Polish: odbierać
European Portuguese: recolher
Romanian: a lua pe cineva
Russian: забирать группу
Latin American Spanish: recoger
Swedish: hämta
Thai: รับ
Turkish: almak
Ukrainian: забирати з
Vietnamese: đón
All related terms of 'collect'
collect up
If you collect up things, you bring them all together, usually when you have finished using them.
re-collect
to gather together again (what has been scattered )
call collect
If you call collect when you make a telephone call, the person who you are phoning pays the cost of the call and not you.
collect call
A collect call is a telephone call which is paid for by the person who receives the call, rather than the person who makes the call.
collect donations
A donation is something which someone gives to a charity or other organization.
collect evidence
Evidence is anything that you see, experience, read , or are told that causes you to believe that something is true or has really happened .
collect intelligence
Intelligence is information that is gathered by the government or the army about their country's enemies and their activities.
collect your wits
to make an effort to control yourself and become calm again, after you have had a frightening or shocking experience
collect on delivery
payment in cash when a purchase or shipment is delivered
Chinese translation of 'collect'
collect
(kəˈlɛkt)
vt
[wood, litter etc]采(採)集 (cǎijí)
(as hobby) 收集 (shōují)
(Brit, = fetch)
[person]接 (jiē)
[object]取 (qǔ)
[money, donations]募捐 (mùjuān)
[debts, taxes etc]收 (shōu)
[mail]取 (qǔ)
vi
[dust, dirt]积(積)聚 (jījù)
(for charity, gift) 募捐 (mùjuān)
to call collect, make a collect call (US, Tel) 打对(對)方付款的电(電)话(話) (dǎ duìfāng fùkuǎn de diànhuà)
英 = to reverse the charges
to collect o.s. or one's thoughts使自己镇(鎮)定下来(來) (shǐ zìjǐ zhèndìng xiàlái)
collect on delivery (US, Comm) 货(貨)到付款 (huòdào fùkuǎn)
1 (verb)
Definition
to gather (objects, such as stamps) as a hobby or for study
Two young girls were collecting firewood.
Synonyms
gather
She started gathering up her things.
save
Scraps of material were saved, cut up and pieced together for quilts.
assemble
heap
They were heaping up wood for a bonfire.
accumulate
Lead can accumulate in the body until toxic levels are reached.
aggregate
We should never aggregate votes to predict results under another system.
amass
We didn't enquire as to how she had amassed her fortune.
stockpile
People are stockpiling food for the coming winter.
hoard
They've begun to hoard food and gasoline.
Opposites
spread
,
distribute
,
scatter
,
strew
2 (verb)
Definition
to go to a place to fetch (a person or thing)
I collected her at the station.
Synonyms
fetch
She fetched a towel from the bathroom.
get
Go and get your Daddy for me.
meet
pick up
3 (verb)
Definition
to receive payments of (taxes, dues, or contributions)
They collected donations for a fund to help the earthquake victims.
Synonyms
raise
events held to raise money
secure
His achievements helped him to secure the job.
gather
You must gather your strength for the journey.
obtain
Evans was trying to obtain a false passport.
acquire
She has acquired a 50% stake in the company.
muster
Mustering all her strength, she pulled hard on the oars.
solicit
4 (verb)
Definition
to gather together or be gathered together
A crowd collected outside.
Synonyms
assemble
There was nowhere for students to assemble before classes.
meet
The commission met four times between 1988 and 1991.
rally
He rallied his own supporters for a fight.
cluster
The passengers clustered together in small groups.
come together
convene
Senior officials convened in Dakar for an emergency meeting.
converge
As they flow south, the five rivers converge.
congregate
People were already beginning to congregate outside the cinema.
flock together
foregather
Opposites
scatter
,
disperse
phrase
See collect yourself
Additional synonyms
in the sense of accumulate
Definition
to gather together in an increasing quantity
Lead can accumulate in the body until toxic levels are reached.
Synonyms
build up,
increase,
grow,
be stored,
collect,
gather,
pile up,
amass,
stockpile,
hoard,
accrue,
cumulate
in the sense of acquire
Definition
to get or develop (something such as an object, trait, or ability)
She has acquired a 50% stake in the company.
Synonyms
get,
win,
buy,
receive,
land (informal),
score (slang),
gain,
achieve,
earn,
pick up,
bag,
secure,
collect,
gather,
realize,
obtain,
attain,
amass,
procure,
come into possession of
in the sense of aggregate
Definition
to combine or be combined into a whole
We should never aggregate votes to predict results under another system.