Gather vs. Collect

Gather vs. Collect — Is There a Difference?
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Difference Between Gather and Collect

Gatherverb

To collect; normally separate things.

I've been gathering ideas from the people I work with.She bent down to gather the reluctant cat from beneath the chair.

Collectverb

(transitive) To gather together; amass.

Suzanne collected all the papers she had laid out.

Gatherverb

Especially, to harvest food.

We went to gather some blackberries from the nearby lane.

Collectverb

(transitive) To get; particularly, get from someone.

A bank collects a monthly payment on a client's new car loan.A mortgage company collects a monthly payment on a house.

Gatherverb

To accumulate over time, to amass little by little.

Over the years he'd gathered a considerable collection of mugs.

Collectverb

(transitive) To accumulate (a number of similar or related objects), particularly for a hobby or recreation.

John Henry collects stamps.I don't think he collects as much as hoards.
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Gatherverb

(intransitive) To congregate, or assemble.

People gathered round as he began to tell his story.

Collectverb

To form a conclusion; to deduce, infer. (Compare gather, get.)

Gatherverb

(intransitive) To grow gradually larger by accretion.

Collectverb

To collect payments.

He had a lot of trouble collecting on that bet he made.

Gatherverb

To bring parts of a whole closer.

She gathered the shawl about her as she stepped into the cold.

Collectverb

(intransitive) To come together in a group or mass.

The rain collected in puddles.
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Gatherverb

(sewing) To add pleats or folds to a piece of cloth, normally to reduce its width.

A gown should be gathered around the top so that it will remain shaped.

Collectverb

(transitive) To infer; to conclude.

Gatherverb

(knitting) To bring stitches closer together.

Be careful not to stretch or gather your knitting.If you want to emphasise the shape, it is possible to gather the waistline.

Collectverb

To collide with or crash into (another vehicle or obstacle).

The truck veered across the central reservation and collected a car that was travelling in the opposite direction.

Gatherverb

(architecture) To bring together, or nearer together, in masonry, as for example where the width of a fireplace is rapidly diminished to the width of the flue.

Collectadjective

To be paid for by the recipient, as a telephone call or a shipment.

It was to be a collect delivery, but no-one was available to pay.

Gatherverb

(nautical) To haul in; to take up.

to gather the slack of a rope

Collectadverb

With payment due from the recipient.

I had to call collect.

Gatherverb

To infer or conclude; to know from a different source.

From his silence, I gathered that things had not gone well.I gather from Aunty May that you had a good day at the match.

Collectnoun

(Christianity) The prayer said before the reading of the epistle lesson, especially one found in a prayerbook, as with the Book of Common Prayer.

He used the day's collect as the basis of his sermon.

Gatherverb

To be filled with pus

Salt water can help boils to gather and then burst.

Collectnoun

a short prayer generally preceding the lesson in the Church of Rome or the Church of England

Gatherverb

(glassblowing) To collect molten glass on the end of a tool.

Collectverb

get or gather together;

I am accumulating evidence for the man's unfaithfulness to his wifeShe is amassing a lot of data for her thesisShe rolled up a small fortune

Gatherverb

To gain; to win.

Collectverb

call for and obtain payment of;

we collected over a million dollars in outstanding debtshe collected the rent

Gathernoun

A plait or fold in cloth, made by drawing a thread through it; a pucker.

Collectverb

assemble or get together;

gather some stonespull your thoughts together

Gathernoun

The inclination forward of the axle journals to keep the wheels from working outward.

Collectverb

get or bring together;

accumulate evidence

Gathernoun

The soffit or under surface of the masonry required in gathering. See gather (transitive verb).

Collectverb

gather or collect;

You can get the results on MondayShe picked up the children at the day care centerThey pick up our trash twice a week

Gathernoun

(glassblowing) A blob of molten glass collected on the end of a blowpipe.

Collectadjective

payment due by the recipient on delivery;

a collect callthe letter came collecta COD parcel

Gathernoun

A gathering.

Collectadverb

make a telephone call or mail a package so that the recipient pays;

call collectsend a package collect

Gathernoun

sewing consisting of small folds or puckers made by pulling tight a thread in a line of stitching

Gathernoun

the act of gathering something

Gatherverb

assemble or get together;

gather some stonespull your thoughts together

Gatherverb

collect in one place;

We assembled in the church basementLet's gather in the dining room

Gatherverb

collect or gather;

Journals are accumulating in my officeThe work keeps piling up

Gatherverb

conclude from evidence;

I gather you have not done your homework

Gatherverb

draw fabric together and sew it tightly

Gatherverb

get people together;

assemble your colleaguesget together all those who are interested in the projectgather the close family members

Gatherverb

look for (food) in nature;

Our ancestors gathered nuts in the Fall