gather

verb

• 1 [no object] come together; assemble or accumulate:as soon as a crowd gathered, the police came

• 2 [with object] bring together and take in from scattered places or sources:information that we have gathered about people
• (gather something up) pick something up:I gathered up the prescription and went to the door
• (gather something in) harvest grain or other crops: the harvest of wheat and barley had been gathered in
• [no object] collect plants, fruits, etc., for food:the Bushmen live by hunting and gathering

• 3 [with object] increase in (speed, force, etc.):the destroyer gathered speed

• 4 [with object] infer; understand: [with clause]:I gathered that they were old friends

• 5 [with object] summon up (a mental or physical attribute) for a purpose:she lay gathering her thoughts together he gathered himself for a tremendous leap
• gain or recover (one’s breath): she paused to gather her breath and leaned against the wall puffing

• 6 [with object] pull (someone) into one’s arms:she gathered the child in her arms
• pull (clothing) more tightly around one’s body.

• 7 [with object] draw and hold together (fabric or a part of a garment) by running thread through it:the front is gathered at the waist

noun

• a part of a garment that is gathered.