1 [+ obj] a : to bring (things or people) together into a group
▪ The children gathered their toys (together) and put them away. ▪ Give me just a minute to gather my things and then we can leave. ▪ The coach gathered her players together. ▪ She gathered her hair into a ponytail.
b : to choose and collect (things)
▪ We gathered (up) wood for the fire. ▪ The child was gathering flowers to give to his mother. ▪ She has been gathering poems (together) for/into a collection.
c : to get or take (things) from different people or places and bring them together
▪ The police are continuing to gather evidence relating to the crime. ▪ Volunteers have been gathering contributions for the new library. 2 [no obj] : to come together to form a group
▪ A crowd began to gather on the sidewalk. ▪ The players gathered together to hear the coach's game plan. — often + around or round ▪ Everyone gathered around him as he began to speak. ▪ He asked us to gather round. 3 [+ obj] : to get more of (something, such as speed) gradually
▪ The bicyclists gathered speed as they went downhill. ▪ The campaign has begun to gather momentum/strength. [=has begun to be more popular and effective] — see also gathering dust at ¹dust 4 [no obj] : to increase in amount or strength
▪ Clouds had begun to gather overhead. ▪ We hurried home in the gathering darkness. ▪ the gathering storm ▪ the gathering [=worsening] crisis 5 [+ obj] a : to prepare yourself to use (your courage, strength, etc.) in order to do something difficult
▪ He gathered his courage and finally spoke up. ▪ Despite her injury, she gathered her strength and was able to finish the race.
b : to prepare (yourself, your thoughts, etc.) before doing something difficult
▪ He paused to gather himself before stepping out onto the stage. ▪ I barely had time to gather my thoughts/wits before replying. 6 not used in progressive tenses [+ obj] : to believe that something is probably true because of what you have heard or learned
▪ I gather (from her comments) that she's read a great deal about this topic. = From what I (can) gather, she's read a great deal about this topic. ▪ “She's read a great deal about this topic.” “So I gather!” 7 [+ obj] : to pull (someone or something) close to your body
▪ He gathered the child (up) in his arms. ▪ She gathered her cloak around her before stepping outside. 8 [+ obj] sewing : to pull (cloth) along a line of stitches to form folds
▪ I gathered the fabric to make small pleats.