collect

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To gather things together from different places.

   She collected all the papers she had laid out.

2. 2
   verb

   To gather and keep a set of similar things as a hobby.

   As a child he collected old trading cards.

3. 3
   verb

   To go and bring back someone or something.

   I'll collect the kids from school at three.

4. 4
   verb

   To gather and receive money that is owed.

   The bank collects a monthly payment on the loan.

5. 5
   verb

   To build up gradually in a place.

   Dead leaves collected in the corner of the yard.

Common collocations

• collect thoughts Verb + noun

From Middle English collecten, a borrowing from Old French collecter, from Medieval Latin collectare (“to collect money”), from Latin collecta (“a collection of money, in Late Latin a meeting, assemblage, in Medieval Latin a tax, also an assembly for prayer, a prayer”), feminine of collectus, past participle of colligere, conligere (“to gather together, collect, consider, conclude, infer”), from com- (“together”) + legere (“to gather”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- (“to gather, collect”).

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