n. 25B6; noun
she rose to address the gathering : ASSEMBLY, meeting, convention, rally, turnout, congress, convocation, conclave, council, synod, forum; congregation, audience, crowd, group, throng, mass, multitude; informal get-together; formal concourse.
the gathering of data for a future book : COLLECTING, collection, garnering, amassing, accumulation, accrual, cumulation, building up.