Search

to bring together into one group, collection, or place:
to gather firewood; to gather the troops.
to bring together or -ssemble from various places, sources, or people; collect gradually:
the college is gathering a faculty from all over the country.
to serve as a center of attention for; attract:
a good football game always gathers a crowd.
to pick or harvest (any crop or natural yield) from its place of growth or formation:
to gather fruit; to gather flowers.
to pick up piece by piece:
gather your toys from the floor.
to pick or scoop up:
she gathered the crying child in her arms.
to collect (as taxes, dues, money owed, etc.).
to acc-mulate; increase:
the storm gathers force. the car gathered speed.
to take by selection from among other things; sort out; cull.
to -ssemble or collect (one’s energies or oneself) as for an effort (often followed by up):
he gathered up his strength for the hard job.
to learn or conclude from observation; infer; deduce:
i gather that he is the real leader.
to wrap or draw around or close:
he gathered his scarf around his neck.
to contract (the brow) into wrinkles.
to draw (cloth) up on a thread in fine folds or puckers by means of even st-tches.
bookbinding. to -ssemble (the printed sections of a book) in proper sequence for binding.
nautical. to gain (way) from a dead stop or extremely slow speed.
metalworking. to increase the sectional area of (stock) by any of various operations.
gl-ssmaking. to acc-mulate or collect (molten gl-ss) at the end of a tube for blowing, shaping, etc.
to come together around a central point; -ssemble:
let’s gather round the fire and sing.
to collect or acc-mulate:
clouds were gathering in the northeast.
to grow, as by accretion; increase.
to become contracted into wrinkles, folds, creases, etc., as the brow or as cloth.
to come to a head, as a sore in suppurating.
a drawing together; contraction.
often, gathers. a fold or pucker, as in gathered cloth.
an act or instance of gathering.
an amount or number gathered, as during a harvest.
gl-ssmaking. a m-ss of molten gl-ss attached to the end of a punty.
be gathered to one’s fathers, to die.
contemporary examples

next door, mohammad abu najar and his father yousef gather their belongings.
gaza ‘m-ss execution’ investigated jesse rosenfeld august 4, 2014

the shame is that amit and the mossad did what spooks do with information they gather.
the man who let mengele get away gerald posner july 24, 2009

the department has told officers they needed to gather this information multiple times in the years since.
it’s been proven: “driving while black” is a real thing jamelle bouie january 9, 2014

this was an opportunity for us to gather and reflect on all that has changed and stayed the same.
a literary tribute roxanne coady september 9, 2011

and so most of the information i gather comes from the grown-ups in their lives, typically their parents.
doctor to dads: you’re doing it wrong russell saunders february 22, 2014

historical examples

he will preach to whatever audiences he can gather around him.
in league with israel annie f. johnston

he said “it is light” and he used the rays of the early sun to gather food for his family.
ancient man hendrik willem van loon

the indians gather the fruit, small and sour as it is, to flavor their fat salmon.
travels in alaska john muir

close on our right a twig snapped and i began to gather myself for the spring.
the trail book mary austin

dont be afraid; if i find any roses, i promise to gather them for you.
pinocchio in africa cherubini

verb
to -ssemble or cause to -ssemble
to collect or be collected gradually; muster
(transitive) to learn from information given; conclude or -ssume
(transitive) to pick or harvest (flowers, fruit, etc)
(transitive; foll by to or into) to clasp or embrace: the mother gathered the child into her arms
(transitive) to bring close (to) or wrap (around): she gathered her shawl about her shoulders
to increase or cause to increase gradually, as in force, speed, intensity, etc
to contract (the brow) or (of the brow) to become contracted into wrinkles; knit
(transitive) to -ssemble (sections of a book) in the correct sequence for binding
(transitive) to collect by making a selection
(transitive) to prepare or make ready: to gather one’s wits
to draw (material) into a series of small tucks or folds by p-ssing a thread through it and then pulling it tight
(intransitive) (of a boil or other sore) to come to a head; form pus
noun

the act of gathering
the amount gathered

a small fold in material, as made by a tightly pulled st-tch; tuck
(printing) an informal name for section (sense 17)
v.

old english gadrian, gædrian “unite, agree, -ssemble; gather, collect, store up,” used of flowers, thoughts, persons; from proto-germanic -gadurojan “bring together, unite” (cf. old english gæd “fellowship, companionship,” gædeling “companion;” middle low german gadderen; old frisian gaderia; dutch gaderen “to gather,” gade “spouse;” german gatte “husband;” gothic gadiliggs), from pie -ghedh- “to unite, join” (see good (adj.). change of spelling from -d- to -th- is 1500s, reflecting earlier change in pr-nunciation. related: gathered; gathering.
see: rolling stone gathers no moss