collect

1 to gain emotional or mental control of <applicants should collect their thoughts while waiting to be interviewed> Synonyms calm, compose, contain, control, re-collect, settle Related Words hold back, restrain; rally, recover; lull, quiet, soothe, still, tranquilize (also tranquillize)

2 to gradually form into a layer, pile, or mass <dust has been collecting under my bed for years> Synonyms accrete, accumulate, amass, build up, concentrate, conglomerate, gather, mass, pile (up), stack (up) Related Words agglutinate, clump, lump; bank, drift, ridge Near Antonyms disperse, dissipate, scatter

3 to bring together from several sources into a single volume or list <collected the author's early short stories, which were originally published in several obscure sci-fi magazines> Synonyms anthologize, compileRelated Words edit, recompile, redact, redraft, reedit, revamp, revise, rework; accumulate, amass, assemble, collate, gather, group

4 to bring together in one body or place <she collects antique silverware> Synonyms accumulate, amass, assemble, bulk (up), gather, concentrate, congregate, constellate, corral, garner, group, lump, pick up, round upRelated Words ball, batch, bunch, cluster, huddle; heap, pile, stack; band, brigade, muster, raise, rally; flock, herd, hive, pack, press, swarm, throng; combine, connect, join, link, merge, pool, unite; archive, arrange, collate, compile, organize, systematize; scrape (up or together); re-collect, regather, regroupNear Antonyms break up, disband, disintegrate, dissolve, separate, sever, split (up); dismiss, sendAntonyms dispel, disperse, dissipate, scatter

5 to come together into one body or place <a crowd collected at the beach as the sun slowly set over the horizon> Synonyms cluster, assemble, concenter, concentrate, conglomerate, congregate, convene, converge, forgather (or foregather), gather, meet, rendezvousRelated Words affiliate, ally, associate, band (together), caucus, club, collaborate, confederate, conjoin, consolidate, consort, cooperate, couple, federate, gang up, join, merge, unite; reassemble, reconvene, regather, remeetNear Antonyms depart, leave, take off; disjoin, dissociate, disuniteAntonyms break up, disband, disperse, split (up)