Main Entry: ¹gath·er

Pronunciation: \ˈga-thər also ˈge-\

Function: verb

Inflected Form(s): gath·ered; gath·er·ing \ˈgath-riŋ, ˈga-thə-\

Etymology: Middle English gaderen, from Old English gaderian; akin to Middle High German gadern to unite — more at good

Date: before 12th century

transitive verb 1 : to bring together : collect <tried to gather a crowd> <gathered firewood>
2 a : pick, harvest <gather flowers> b : to pick up or amass as if by harvesting <gathering ideas for the project> c : to scoop up or take up from a resting place <gathered the child up in his arms>
3 : to serve as an attraction for : accumulate <books gathering dust>
4 : to effect the collection of <gather contributions>
5 a : to summon up <gathered his courage> b : to gain by gradual increase <gather speed> c : to prepare (as oneself) by mustering strength d : to gain or regain control of <gathered his wits>
6 : to reach a conclusion often intuitively from hints or through inferences <I gather that you want to leave>
7 a : to pull (fabric) along a line of stitching so as to draw into puckers b : to draw about or close to something <gathering her cloak about her> c : to bring together the parts of <gathered her hair into a ponytail> d : to assemble (the signatures of a book) in sequence for binding e : to haul in <the sailors gathered the sails>intransitive verb 1 a : to come together in a body b : to cluster around a focus of attraction
2 a : to swell and fill with pus b : grow, increase <the gathering crisis>

— gath·er·er \-thər-ər\ noun

synonyms gather, collect, assemble, congregate mean to come or bring together into a group, mass, or unit. gather is the most general term for bringing or coming together from a spread-out or scattered state <a crowd quickly gathered>. collect often implies careful selection or orderly arrangement <collected books on gardening>. assemble implies an ordered union or organization of persons or things often for a definite purpose <experts assembled for a conference>. congregate implies a spontaneous flocking together into a crowd or huddle <congregating under a shelter>.

synonyms see in addition infer