collect

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verb

Definition of 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, collect

Related 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), collect, concentrate, congregate, constellate, corral, garner, group, lump, pick up, round up

Related 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, regroup

Near Antonyms break up, disband, disintegrate, dissolve, separate, sever, split (up); dismiss, send

Antonyms 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, collect, concenter, concentrate, conglomerate, congregate, convene, converge, forgather (or foregather), gather, meet, rendezvous

Related Words affiliate, ally, associate, band (together), caucus, club, collaborate, confederate, conjoin, consolidate, consort, cooperate, couple, federate, gang up, join, merge, unite; reassemble, reconvene, regather, remeet

Near Antonyms depart, leave, take off; disjoin, dissociate, disunite

Antonyms break up, disband, disperse, split (up)