Collect

Part of Speech

Verb

Pronunciation

English (US): /kəˈlɛkt/

English (UK): /kəˈlɛkt/

Definitions

1. To bring together or accumulate items of a similar type.
2. To receive or take payment.
3. To gather information or data.
4. To regain control or composure.

Usage Examples

• She loves to collect vintage stamps.
• Please collect the documents from the office.
• The scientist is working to collect more data for the study.
• He paused to collect his thoughts before speaking.

Etymology

From Latin colligere ("to gather, assemble"), from com- ("together") + legere ("to choose, read").

Synonyms

• Gather
• Accumulate
• Amass
• Assemble
• Retrieve

Antonyms

• Disperse
• Scatter
• Distribute
• Lose

Translations

Regional Pronunciation Variations

British English: /kəˈlɛkt/

American English: /kəˈlɛkt/

Australian English: /kəˈlɛkt/ (similar to British English)

Historical Usage

The word collect has been used in English since the 15th century, originally referring to gathering people or things together.

Cultural Nuances

In some cultures, collecting items is seen as a form of wealth preservation, while in others, it may be a hobby or an academic pursuit.

More Information

The act of collecting spans various domains, from hobbies such as stamp or coin collecting to scientific data gathering and debt collection.