collect

col|lect1 [ kə`lekt ] verb ***

1. ) transitive to get things and keep them together for a particular reason:

A lot of families collect newspapers for recycling.

a ) to get and keep objects because they are interesting or valuable:

I didn't know she collected modern art.

He collects stamps.

b ) to get information:

The statistics are collected purely for administrative purposes.

evidence collected by the police

2. ) transitive to get money from someone for a particular purpose:

Someone came to collect the rent.

a ) intransitive or transitive to collect money from different people, for example to buy a present or to help people who are suffering:

They give up their spare time to collect for various charities.

b ) transitive to receive money officially, for example from the government or an insurance company:

He's old enough to collect his retirement.

The victim collected $250,000 in compensation.

3. ) intransitive if a crowd of people collects, it forms: GATHER

a ) intransitive if a substance collects somewhere, it gradually goes there:

With flat roofs, you often find that rain collects in the corners.

b ) transitive if a surface collects a substance, the substance gradually covers the surface

4. ) transitive to go and get a person or thing. The more common way of saying this is to pick up something or someone:

Trash is collected on Thursdays.

Both sides returned to collect their dead.

collect

col|lect 2 [ kə`lekt ] adverb

call someone collect AMERICAN

to make a phone call that is paid for by the person who receives the call. British reverse the charges