collecting

8 definitions • 11 examples

present participle of

to get and keep things of one type such as stamps or coins as a hobby:

She collects dolls.

So when did you start collecting antique glass?

to go to a place and bring someone or something away from it:

Your shoes will be repaired and ready for you to collect on Thursday.

collect someone/something from somewhere I'll collect you from the station.

to bring something together from different places or over a period of time:

collect something up After the party I collected (up) bottles from various parts of the house.

collect dust These china ornaments just collect dust.

to ask people to give you money for something, for example a charity:

We're collecting (money) for the homeless.

to take money such as taxes, rents, etc.:

The state collected about $1.2 million in taxes in January.

to come together from different places or over a period of time:

A large crowd of reporters collected outside the prime minister's house.

Rainwater collects in the barrel in the garden.

to get control of your feelings and thoughts, especially after shock, surprise, or laughter:

I was so stunned by what he'd said I had to collect myself before I could reply.