collect

collect — verb

1. to find and store objects of one kind — for instance, stamps, coins, or cards —

1.verbtransitiveA2
Definition

to find and store objects of one kind — for instance, stamps, coins, or cards — because you enjoy it as a pastime

Example

Mei started to collect seashells when she was eight years old.

collect + objects-of-same-type (hobby pattern)

Priya collects stamps from every country her family visits.

Common collocations
  • collect stamps
  • collect coins
  • collect antiques
  • collect art
Synonyms
  • gather

    less specific and not about keeping as a hobby

  • amass

    suggests a larger or more valuable accumulation, more formal

Antonyms
  • discard

    to throw away rather than keep

Grammar Patterns

collect + noun phrase

Common Mistakes

I collect together stamps from Japan.
I collect stamps from Japan.
For the hobby sense, 'together' is unnecessary because the meaning already includes gathering.

2. to travel to where a person or item is waiting and take them back with you

2.verbtransitiveA2
Definition

to travel to where a person or item is waiting and take them back with you

Example

Leila needs to collect her son from school at three o'clock.

collect + person + from + place

Theo collected the dry cleaning on his way home from work.

Common collocations
  • collect someone from school
  • collect a package
  • collect documents
Synonyms
  • pick up

    more common in American English, especially for people

  • fetch

    more informal and slightly old-fashioned

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

collect + person/thing from + place

Usage Note

Commonly used in British English for picking someone up from a place. In American English, 'pick up' is more frequent for people, while 'collect' is used more for things like documents or parcels.

Common Mistakes

I collected my son from school and went home.
I picked up my son from school and went home.
In American English, 'pick up' is preferred for people; 'collect' sounds formal or British.

3. to get things or information from different people, places, or periods of time a

3.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to get things or information from different people, places, or periods of time and bring them together

Example

The museum collects artworks from artists around the world.

collect + noun + from + source

Hana collected enough data to write her research paper.

Common collocations
  • collect data
  • collect information
  • collect evidence
  • collect donations
  • collect samples
Synonyms
  • gather

    less emphasis on keeping things organised; more about physical coming together

  • accumulate

    suggests a gradual buildup over time, often without active effort

  • assemble

    implies arranging items into a group or order

Antonyms
  • distribute

    to give things out rather than bring them together

  • scatter

    to spread things apart

Grammar Patterns

collect + noun phrase + from + source

4. to ask people for money to help a cause, a group, or a project

4.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

to ask people for money to help a cause, a group, or a project

Example

The volunteers collected money for the local animal shelter.

collect + money + for + purpose

Nadia collected donations for the school playground equipment.

Common collocations
  • collect for charity
  • collect donations
  • collect funds
Synonyms
Antonyms
  • donate

    to give money rather than ask for it

Grammar Patterns

collect + money + for + purpose

collect for + purpose

Usage Note

This sense is often used with 'for' to name the cause. It can be transitive (collect money for something) or intransitive (collect for something).

Common Mistakes

We collected money for the church.' (context unclear)
We collected donations for the church's roof repair fund.
Adding the specific purpose makes the sentence clearer.

5. to obtain money that someone owes you, such as rent, tax, or loan payments, ofte

5.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to obtain money that someone owes you, such as rent, tax, or loan payments, often as a routine or legal process

Example

The landlord collects rent from the tenants on the first of each month.

collect + rent + from + person

The government collects income tax from all working citizens.

Common collocations
  • collect rent
  • collect taxes
  • collect debts
  • collect fees
Synonyms
  • receive payment

    more general, less active

  • levy

    formal, used specifically for taxes and official charges

Antonyms
  • pay

    to give money rather than receive it

Grammar Patterns

collect + money owed (tax, rent, debt)

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 4 (ASK FOR MONEY): sense 5 involves claiming money that is legally owed (tax, rent, debts), while sense 4 involves voluntary donations for a cause.

Common Mistakes

The charity collected taxes from local businesses.
The government collects taxes from local businesses.
Only official bodies collect taxes; charities collect donations.

6. to arrive at a single spot or build up gradually over a period, without anyone a

6.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to arrive at a single spot or build up gradually over a period, without anyone actively placing things there

Example

A crowd collected outside the theatre waiting for the show to begin.

intransitive: crowd + collect + place

Dust had collected on the old bookshelf in the corner.

Common collocations
  • dust collects
  • a crowd collects
  • water collects
Synonyms
  • gather

    very similar; 'gather' is slightly more common for people

  • accumulate

    suggests gradual buildup over a longer time, especially for dust or objects

  • congregate

    more formal, used mainly for people

Antonyms
  • disperse

    to move apart in different directions

Grammar Patterns

noun phrase + collect + (adverbial of place/time)

Usage Note

This intransitive sense describes things gathering by themselves. It is different from sense 3 (BRING TOGETHER), where someone actively brings things together.

Common Mistakes

The teacher collected the students in the hallway.' (active gathering — use sense 3)
The students collected in the hallway waiting for the bell.
Use the intransitive form when people gather on their own.

7. to bring your feelings, thoughts, or attention back under control after a shock,

7.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to bring your feelings, thoughts, or attention back under control after a shock, surprise, or strong emotion — for example, taking a deep breath before a speech to calm down

Example

Tomás took a deep breath to collect himself before the interview.

reflexive: collect + himself

Ines stopped for a moment to collect her thoughts after the shocking news.

Common collocations
  • collect yourself
  • collect your thoughts
  • collect your wits
  • collect your nerves
Synonyms
  • compose oneself

    more formal; means to make yourself calm

  • get a grip

    informal; suggests taking control of emotions firmly

  • calm down

    more general; not specific to regaining composure after shock

Antonyms
  • panic

    to lose control of your emotions

  • lose it

    informal; to lose emotional control

Grammar Patterns

collect + reflexive pronoun

collect + thoughts/emotions/nerves

Usage Note

This sense is almost always used reflexively ('collect yourself') or with mental-state objects ('collect your thoughts'). It is rarely used without a reflexive pronoun or mental noun.

Common Mistakes

He collected his mind before the exam.' (unnatural)
He collected himself before the exam.
Use 'collect yourself' or 'collect your thoughts', not 'collect your mind'.
Phrasal verbs

collect up

phrasal verb

To gather together things that are spread out or to bring people together.

Please collect up all the toys before dinner starts.

The teacher collected up the students for a group photo.

Idioms

collect/gather dust

idiom

Something that is not used for a long time and becomes covered with dust.

Maya's old bicycle has been collecting dust in the garage for years.

Why don't you play that guitar that's gathering dust in the corner?

collect yourself/your thoughts

idiom

To take a moment to calm down or think clearly before doing something.

After the loud noise, Brian took a deep breath to collect himself.

Sara paused at the door to collect her thoughts before the speech.

collect — noun

collect — adjective

collect — adverb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/3

All four words involve bringing things together, but they differ in how and why. 'Collect' is the most active and purposeful — you deliberately seek things from various sources, often with an interest in keeping them organised (collecting data, collecting donations). 'Gather' is more general and can be physical (gather flowers) or social (gather people); it puts less emphasis on careful organisation. 'Accumulate' suggests a slow, often passive buildup over time — dust accumulates, wealth accumulates — without the sense of intentional seeking that 'collect' carries. 'Assemble' focuses on putting separate parts together into a whole, especially for a specific function (assemble a team, assemble furniture). 'Amass' is the most dramatic, suggesting a large quantity built up over time (amass a fortune, amass evidence). For everyday language, 'collect' and 'gather' are the safest choices; use 'accumulate' for gradual buildup, 'assemble' for combining parts, and 'amass' when you want to emphasise size or impressiveness.

gather ↗accumulate ↗assemble ↗amass

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'collect' comes from Latin 'colligere', formed from 'com-' (together) and 'legere' (to gather or choose). Its past participle 'collectus' passed into Old French as 'collecter' and entered English in the 14th century. The original meaning was simply 'to gather together', and over time the word developed specialised senses for gathering objects as a hobby (16th century), gathering money (17th century), and gathering one's thoughts or emotions (18th century). The noun meaning 'a short prayer' comes from a different strand: Latin 'collecta' referred to a gathering of people, and by the 13th century it was used in church Latin for the prayer said when the congregation assembled.