collect

noun

col·lect | \ ˈkä-likt also -ˌlekt

Definition of collect

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : a short prayer comprising an invocation, petition, and conclusion specifically, often capitalized : one preceding the eucharistic Epistle and varying with the day

2 : collection

collect

verb

col·lect | \ kə-ˈlekt

collected; collecting; collects

Definition of collect (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

1a : to bring together into one body or place

b : to gather or exact from a number of persons or sources collect taxes

c : to gather an accumulation of (objects) especially as a hobby collects stamps

2 : infer, deduce

3 : to gain or regain control of collect his thoughts

4 : to claim as due and receive payment for

5 : to get and bring with one specifically : pick up went to collect her at the train station

intransitive verb

1 : to come together in a band, group, or mass : gather

2a : to collect objects

b : to receive payment collecting on the insurance

collect

adverb or adjective

col·lect | \ kə-ˈlekt

Definition of collect (Entry 3 of 3)

: to be paid for by the receiver

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about collect

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Choose the Right Synonym for collect

Verb

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

Examples of collect in a Sentence

Verb

They hope to collect over 1,000 signatures on the petition. He collected stories from all over the world. They collected information about the community. We collected soil samples from several areas on the site. We collected our baggage from the baggage claim at the airport. I left my suit at the cleaners and I have to collect it today. She enjoys collecting antique teapots. He has an impressive stamp collection, though he has been collecting for only a few years. I took a minute to collect my thoughts.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

No matter—to him, that’s what collect calls were for. — Mike Kerrigan, WSJ, "My Brother the Car Horn," 27 Nov. 2018 The standard cost of a call is $0.25 per minute if prepaid or $0.35 per minute for collect calls. — Don Behm, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Milwaukee County inmates offered a free 5-minute phone call home on Mother's Day," 12 May 2018 Forget the collect-a-thon bloat of series like Donkey Kong Country and Banjo-Kazooie. — Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, "Celeste review: With amazing twists, this 2D game reaches great heights," 25 Jan. 2018 Her phone bill was ridiculous from all my collect calls. — Sam Gillette, PEOPLE.com, "Gucci Mane on His Troubled Relationship with Keyshia Ka’oir Before Their Romantic Wedding," 19 Oct. 2017 Last year, an inmate and his mom sued the county, claiming its jailhouse phone rates were still too high at $4 flat for local collect calls and 50 cents per minute for local calls charged on a debit card. — Jordan Graham, Orange County Register, "Orange County ends jail contract amid accusations of overcharging inmates’ families to send money," 15 Mar. 2017

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The client for this build actually started collecting them after a funny phone call from his mother. — Brittney Morgan, House Beautiful, "This Upcycled Industrial Kitchen Was Built Around A Hot Sauce Shelf," 8 Jan. 2019 Though Virgin Galactic will eventually serve as the space-tourism arm of CEO Richard Branson's aerospace empire, SpaceShipTwo was ferrying four payloads from NASA, meant to collect data to be used in the space agency's future missions. — Sam Blum, Popular Mechanics, "Virgin Galactic Completes Successful Flight in Big Boost for Space Tourism," 13 Dec. 2018 More than 3,000 were killed in November, the deadliest month since ACLED started collecting data. — Samy Magdy, The Seattle Times, "UN envoy hands Yemen’s warring sides draft deal," 12 Dec. 2018 The third patent expands on this, explaining how collecting data at scale in small geographic regions could even differentiate between tourists and people who actually live there. — Kaitlyn Tiffany, Vox, "Advertisers can easily track you, your kid, your doctor, and the president," 11 Dec. 2018 Joanna Mountain, senior director of research at 23andMe, told PCWorld in an interview that the Global Genetics Project has already exceeded its original two-year goal of collecting 5,000 samples in less than a year. — Dieter Holger, PCWorld, "DNA testing for ancestry is more detailed for white people. Here’s why, and how it's changing," 4 Dec. 2018 First, researchers have to collect training data, which in this case was taken from open-source datasets used for autonomous driving research. — James Vincent, The Verge, "Nvidia has created the first video game demo using AI-generated graphics," 3 Dec. 2018 At Vera, Shanahan has pioneered a method that demands that the first people researchers meet with to collect data are the incarcerated people themselves. — Mattie Kahn, Glamour, "Inside a Radical Experiment to Transform the Lives of Incarcerated Women," 22 Aug. 2018 However, because these tests can’t definitively diagnose an intolerance, the results will be considered in conjunction with your food diary, health history, and any other data your doctor can collect. — Krissy Brady, SELF, "Is Your Food Allergy Really a Histamine Intolerance?," 27 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'collect.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for collect

Noun

Middle English collecte, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin collecta (short for oratio ad collectam prayer upon assembly), from Late Latin, assembly, from Latin, assemblage, from feminine of collectus

Verb

Latin collectus, past participle of colligere to collect, from com- + legere to gather — more at legend

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