collect 1
/keuh lekt"/ , v.t.
1. to gather together; assemble: The professor collected the students' exams.
2. to accumulate; make a collection of: to collect stamps.
3. to receive or compel payment of: to collect a bill.
4. to regain control of (oneself or one's thoughts, faculties, composure, or the like): At the news of her promotion, she took a few minutes to collect herself.
5. to call for and take with one: He drove off to collect his guests. They collected their mail.
6. Manège. to bring (a horse) into a collected attitude.
7. Archaic. to infer.
v.i.
8. to gather together; assemble: The students collected in the assembly hall.
9. to accumulate: Rain water collected in the barrel.
10. to receive payment (often fol. by on ): He collected on the damage to his house.
11. to gather or bring together books, stamps, coins, etc., usually as a hobby: He's been collecting for years.
12. Manège. (of a horse) to come into a collected attitude.
adj. , adv.
13. requiring payment by the recipient: a collect telephone call; a telegram sent collect.
[ 1375-1425; late ME collectus (ptp. of colligere to collect), equiv. to col- COL- 1 + leg- (s. of legere to gather) + -tus ptp. suffix ]
Syn. 1. See gather. 1, 2. amass, aggregate. 4. compose, calm.
Ant. 1. broadcast. 2. distribute.
collect 2
/kol"ekt/ , n.
any of certain brief prayers used in Western churches esp. before the epistle in the communion service.
[ 1150-1200; ME collecte oratio ad collectam prayer at collection (see COLLECT 1 ) ]