gather
- 01 A2 Elementary
v.to come together in a group, or to bring people together.
v.to come together or bring individuals together into a group or assembly.
Simple“A small crowd began to gather outside the stadium before the gates opened.”
In context“The local community gathered in the town square to protest the proposed demolition of the historic library.”
Synonyms - 02 A2 Elementary
v.to pick up or collect things from different places.
v.to collect or harvest items from various locations or sources.
Simple“The children spent the afternoon gathering seashells along the beach.”
In context“Researchers spent several months gathering data from various international clinics to ensure the study was statistically significant.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to believe something is true because of the information you have.
v.to conclude or infer information from evidence or from what has been said.
Simple“I gather from your email that you are not happy with the new schedule.”
In context“From the somber tone of the meeting, I gather that the quarterly results were far worse than the board had anticipated.”
UsageOften used in the first person as 'I gather that...'
Synonyms - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to move faster or become stronger over time.
v.to increase in speed, force, or momentum.
Simple“The car began to gather speed as it went down the hill.”
In context“The political movement started to gather momentum after the televised debate, attracting thousands of new supporters within days.”
- 05 C1 Advanced
v.to pull cloth into small folds using a thread.
v.to draw fabric into small folds by pulling a thread through it.
Simple“She gathered the fabric at the waist to make the skirt look fuller.”
In context“The dressmaker carefully gathered the silk at the shoulder to create a delicate, draped effect for the evening gown.”
- 06 C2 Proficiency
n.a small fold in cloth made by pulling a thread.
n.a small fold or pucker in fabric created by drawing a thread through it.
Simple“The gathers at the top of the curtains made them hang beautifully.”
In context“The designer used intricate gathers along the bodice to add texture and volume to the otherwise simple garment.”
Synonyms
Usage gather data · gather information
From Middle English gaderen, from Old English gaderian (“to gather, assemble”), from Proto-West Germanic gadurōn (“to bring together, unite, gather”), from Proto-Indo-European gʰedʰ- (“to unite, assemble, keep”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.