Gathered Gather I Gathering Collect Crowd Round Family

• a crowd soon gathered.
• his supporters gathered in the main square.
• can you all gather round? i've got something to tell you.
• the whole family gathered together at ray's home.

gather

1. to come together, or bring people together, in one place to form a group
• A crowd soon gathered.
• His supporters gathered in the main square.
• Can you all gather round? I've got something to tell you.
• The whole family gathered together at Ray's home.
• They were all gathered round the TV.
• A large crowd was gathered outside the studio.
• The kids were gathered together in one room.
2. to bring things together that have been spread around
• People slowly gathered their belongings and left the hall.
• I waited while he gathered up his papers.
• We’ve been collecting data from various sources.
• Dirt had collected in the corners of the room.
• to collect stamps.
• I waited while he gathered up his papers.
• Detectives have spent months gathering evidence.
• I seem to have accumulated a lot of books.
• Debts began to accumulate.
• He amassed a fortune from silver mining.
3. to collect information from different sources
• Detectives have spent months gathering evidence.
• We’ve been collecting data from various sources.
• Dirt had collected in the corners of the room.
• to collect stamps.
• I waited while he gathered up his papers.
• Detectives have spent months gathering evidence.
• I seem to have accumulated a lot of books.
• Debts began to accumulate.
• He amassed a fortune from silver mining.
4. to collect plants, fruit, etc. from a wide area
• to gather wild flowers
5. to pick or cut and collect crops to be stored
• It was late August and the harvest had been safely gathered in.
6. to believe or understand that something is true because of information or evidence you have
• I gather (that) you wanted to see me.
• I gather from your letter that you're not enjoying your job.
• ‘There's been a delay.’ ‘I gathered that.’
• ‘She won't be coming.’ ‘So I gather.’
• You're self-employed, I gather.
• As far as I can gather, he got involved in a fight.
• From what I can gather, there's been some kind of problem.
7. to increase in speed, force, etc.
• The truck gathered speed.
• During the 1980s the green movement gathered momentum.
• Thousands of these machines are gathering dust (= not being used) in stockrooms.
8. to gradually increase in number or amount
• The storm clouds were gathering.
• the gathering gloom of a winter’s afternoon
9. to pull a piece of clothing tighter to your body
• He gathered his cloak around him.
• She gathered up her skirts and ran.
10. to pull parts of a piece of clothing together in folds and sew them in place
• She wore a skirt gathered (in) at the waist.
11. to pull somebody towards you and put your arms around them
• She gathered the child in her arms and held him close.
• He gathered her to him.
12. to prepare yourself to do something that requires effort
• I sat down for a moment to gather my strength.
• She was still trying to gather her thoughts together when the door opened.
• Fortunately the short delay gave him time to gather himself.
• He paused to gather his breath.
13. a person who moves from place to place, job to job, etc. does not have a lot of money, possessions or friends but is free from responsibilities

Extra Examples

• As the weeks passed, Charlotte began to gather strength.
• He gathered her close and kissed her.
• He gathered her into his arms.
• She gathered the child to her.
• She hastily gathered all her belongings together.
• She was still trying to gather her thoughts when the door opened.
• The boys gathered around the car.
• The movement for reform rapidly gathered momentum.
• They are all gathering for a major conference.
• ‘She won’t be coming.’ ‘I gathered that.’
• ‘There’s been a delay.’ ‘So I gather.’
• As far as I can gather, he got involved in a fight.
• Can you all gather round? I’ve got something to tell you.
• From what they could gather, there had been some kind of problem back at the base.
• I gather from your letter that you’re not enjoying your job.
• I gather you wanted to see me.
• She gathered her things together and got to her feet.
• The whole family gathered together at Ray’s home.
• They lived in the forest, gathering mushrooms and berries to eat.

Verb Forms

• present simple I / you / we / they gather
• he / she / it gathers
• past simple gathered
• past participle gathered
• -ing form gathering

Word Origin

• Old English gaderian, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch gaderen, also to together.