[col.li.gate] vb -gat.ed ; -gat.ing [L colligatus, pp. of colligare, fr. com- + ligare to tie--more at ligature] vt (1545) 1: to bind, unite, or group together
2: to subsume (isolated facts) under a general concept ~ vi: to be or become a member of a group or unit -- col.li.ga.tion n