gather

1 verb

1 COME TOGETHER (I) to come together and form a group: On Fridays the men gather together at the mosque. | Tens of thousands of people had gathered outside the US embassy. | gather around/round: I'd like everyone to gather round so I can demonstrate how the system works. | gather together: Could the bride's family all gather together for a photo? | be gathered: Dozens of photographers were gathered outside Jagger's villa.

2 KNOW/THINK (transitive not in progressive) to know something or think something is true, because of something that you have heard or seen: You two know each other, I gather. | gather (that): I gather you've had some problems with our sales department. | from what I can gather/as far as I can gather (=this is what I believe to be true): She's his niece, from what I can gather.

3 COLLECT (T)

a) to search for things of the same type in several different places and collect them together: Thelma went along the lane gathering blackberries.

b) to collect information, ideas etc for example in order to write a book or a report: Floyd's gathering ideas for his new novel.

4 gather speed/force/intensity to move faster or become stronger: The cart gathered speed as it coasted down the hill.

5 gather dust if something useful gathers dust, it is not being used: You may as well take these books - they're just gathering dust.

6 gather momentum

a) to gradually move faster, especially because of going down a hill

b) if a plan or process gathers momentum, it develops quickly and affects more and more people: A major anti-corruption campaign was gathering momentum.

7 CLOTH (T)

a) to pull material into small folds: The skirt is gathered at the waist.

b) to pull material or a piece of clothing closer to you: Moira gathered her skirts round her and climbed the steps.

8 gather yourself/gather your strength to prepare yourself for something you are going to do, especially something difficult: I need to rest and gather my strength for the exam.

9 CLOUDS (T) to gradually increase in number: Storm clouds were gathering so we hurried home.

10 the gathering darkness/dusk/shadows etc literary the time in the evening when it is getting dark: the evening's gathering shadows

11 gather sb to you/gather sb up old-fashioned to take someone into your arms and hold them in order to protect them or show them love

gather sth in phrasal verb (T) to collect crops together: gathering in the harvest gather sth together/up phrasal verb (T) to pick up lots of things from different places: Paul gathered up his papers and left the room. | She gathered up some of the children's clothes and stuffed them in a bag. 2 noun (C) a small fold produced by pulling cloth together