n.1 the act or process of collecting or being collected.
2 a group of things collected together, esp. systematically.
3 (foll. by of) an accumulation; a mass or pile (a collection of dust).
4 a the collecting of money, esp. in church or for a charitable cause. b the amount collected.
5 the regular removal of mail, esp. from a postbox, for dispatch.
6 (in pl.) Brit. college examinations held at the end of a term, esp. at Oxford University.
Etymology: ME f. OF f. L collectio -onis (as COLLECT(1))