From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishgathergath‧er1 /ˈɡæðə $ -ər/ ●●● S3 W2 verb 1 come together [intransitive, transitive]CROWDMEET to come together and form a group, or to make people do this A crowd gathered to watch the fight. Thousands of people gathered outside the embassy.gather around/round Gather round, everyone, so that you can see the screen. During the air raids, we gathered the children around us and sang songs.gather together Could the bride’s family all gather together for a photo?be gathered Dozens of photographers were gathered outside Jagger’s villa.► see thesaurus at meet2 know/think [intransitive, transitive not in progressive]FIND OUT to believe that something is true because of what you have seen or heard SYN understand 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 [intransitive, transitive] to get things from different places and put them together in one place The researcher’s job is to gather information about people. They had gathered 440,000 signatures to support their demand.gather up/together Debbie gathered up the clothes.► see thesaurus at collect4 → gather speed/force/momentum etc5 → gather dust6 cloth [transitive] a) DCCto pull material into small folds The skirt is gathered at the waist. b) DCto pull material or a piece of clothing closer to you Moira gathered her skirts round her and climbed the steps.7 → gather yourself/your strength/your thoughts8 clouds/darkness [intransitive] literaryINCREASE IN NUMBER OR AMOUNT to gradually become more cloudy or get darker Storm clouds were gathering so we hurried home.the gathering darkness/dusk/shadows etc the evening’s gathering shadows9 → gather somebody to you/gather somebody up→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
gather• Jack was not happy about the news, I gather.• There were gaps between the floorboards where dust and bits of grime had gathered.• By the time the president arrived, a large crowd had gathered.• You had to search through half the estate to gather a pound of coffee for 2 colones.• A crowd gathered around to watch the fight.• A group of elderly folks gather daily at the senior center to sing songs.• Some of the men gathered firewood while others made a fire.• Grandma gathered her scarf around her neck as she went out the door.• As many as 25,000 people gathered in San Cristobal to see off the caravan.• Some hospitals are using twins to gather information on a variety of diseases.• Computers make it far easier to gather information.• But never forget that your mission is greater than the gathering of such requirements along the way.• Harry was afraid. Sweat gathered on his upper lip.• The family gathered on the porch to say goodbye.• Angry workers were gathering on the steps of City Hall.• Many of the plants in the gardens were gathered on trips to Japan and China.• Eager fans are already gathering outside the stadium.• We gathered round the boat with all the sense of adventure of Drake rounding the Horn.• Despite my limited Spanish, I gathered that there was a problem with my passport.• The traders joined him, in a show of support, gathering the garbage cans from across the trading floor.• Gather the material and baste it.• On the psychiatric ward, Muetzel and the others gathered themselves and then the patients to search for a way out.• From what I can gather, there has been fighting further down the valley.• Snow gathered thickly in the folds of their clothes.• A small crowd gathered to watch the fight.• I gather you've decided not to resign after all.crowd gathered• There he sat, marooned and outwardly calm, massaging his injured limb, while a curious crowd gathered.• They came upon a small crowd gathered around a long wooden table that had posters of Sophia Loren hanging along the front.• A crowd gathered at each place, farmers and their wives waiting in their wagons until the children appeared.• One night, a crowd gathered behind me on the pavement.• An angry crowd gathered, confronting the police, who showed little interest in dispersing them, and began taunting the marshals.• A small crowd gathered in the street and was watching through the shattered window.• An 80-strong crowd gathered in the street outside, some jeering as the convoy whisked away.• This cosy arrangement upset a lot of people and an angry crowd gathered outside the palace.gather (that)• The more time they took, the more time there was for a crowd to gather.• He resigned his royal power and organized a commonwealth, building a council hall where the citizens should gather and vote.• In Oklahoma City, the relatives of the victims gathered at a church for news.• He silently helps her gather currants, having interpreted her blush on seeing him as the beginning of affection.• As many as 25,000 people gathered in San Cristobal to see off the caravan.• Nevertheless, the fortress of autocracy had been breached and liberal pressure for further reform could be expected to gather momentum.• Zach threw back the lid in triumph and the twins and George gathered round to look at the contents.• I gather that you really don't want to be here.• It had to be some one, I gather, who would be credible in saying that they knew Sydney.gather up/together• Surely it could not take this long to gather up a few baskets of food?• Pale-cheeked, Lisa watched till the car disappeared from sight, then she gathered up her things and quietly left the office.• He walked to the corner, gathering up his long Marine coat, doing up the buttons and neck flap.• Kings and sheep and whinnying horses and Serving maids and beggar boys gathered together in the frosty imagined night.• He also gathered together nearly all the drawings formerly in his father's collection in order to present them to the public.• He parodied my groping stumble across the stage to the podium and gathered up the skirt to reveal hairy legs and bloomers.• I think I even intended to gather up the sleeping bundle in my arms and take it away from this dreadful precipice.• Have you been able to gather together the whole of your father's former collection?clouds ... gathering• And out in the world, new storm clouds were gathering.• As they drew close to the outskirts of Chichester itself rain clouds were gathering.• But suddenly the storm clouds are gathering.• Despite the recent good figures, clouds are gathering.• As he gazes from his White House window Clinton sees clouds gathering on the horizon and dimming his shining hour.• Glancing up at the sky, she saw the storm clouds gathering on the horizon.• The tensions aboard the boat are as thick and ominous as thunderstorm clouds gathering over the ocean.• There were ominous dark clouds gathering overhead now and a chill wind.gathergather2 noun [countable] DCCa small fold produced by pulling cloth togetherOrigin gather1 Old English gaderian 