gath·er·ing (găTH́ər-ĭng)

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noun 

1. 1. The action of one that gathers.
   2. That which is gathered or amassed; a collection or accumulation.
2. An assembly of persons; a meeting.
3. The collecting of food that grows wild, such as berries, roots, and grains.
4. A gather in cloth.
5. A suppurated swelling; a boil or abscess.

gath·er (găTH́ər)

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[Middle English getheren, gaderen, from Old English gadrian.]

verb: -ered, -er·ing, -ers. 

transitive verb 

1. To cause to come together; convene: The teacher gathered the students around the exhibit.
2. 1. To accumulate (something) gradually; amass: The top of the bookshelf gathered dust.
   2. To harvest or pick: gather flowers; gather wild foods.
3. To gain by a process of gradual increase: gather speed.
4. To collect into one place; assemble.
5. To pick up and enfold: gathered the kittens into her arms.
6. Printing To arrange (signatures) in sequence for bookbinding.
7. 1. To draw into small folds or puckers, as by pulling a thread through cloth.
   2. To contract and wrinkle (the brow).
8. To draw about or bring (one thing) closer to something else: gathered the shawl about my shoulders.
9. To conclude; infer: I gather that a decision has not been reached.
10. To summon up; muster: gathered up his courage.
11. To attract or be a center of attraction for: The parade gathered a large crowd.

intransitive verb 

1. To come together in a group; assemble: A crowd gathered in the lobby.
2. To accumulate: Dark clouds are gathering.
3. To grow or increase by degrees.
4. To come to a head, as a boil; fester.
5. To forage for wild foodstuffs.

noun 

1. 1. The act or an instance of gathering.
   2. A quantity gathered.
2. A small fold or pucker made by gathering cloth.

derivatives

gath́er·er

noun

synonyms:

gather, collect¹assemble, congregate, accumulate, amass These verbs mean to bring or come together in a group or aggregate. Gather is the most widely applicable: I gathered sticks for the fire. Clouds gathered in the evening sky. Collect frequently refers to the careful selection of like or related things that become part of an organized whole: She collects stamps as a hobby. Tears collected in his eyes. Assemble implies a definite and usually close relationship. With respect to persons, the term suggests convening out of common interest or purpose: Assembling an able staff was more difficult than expected. The reporters assembled for the press conference. With respect to things, assemble implies gathering and fitting together components: The curator is assembling an interesting exhibit of Stone Age artifacts. Congregate refers chiefly to the coming together of a large number of persons or animals: The students congregated after class to compare notes. Accumulate applies to the increase of like or related things over an extended period: They accumulated enough capital to invest. Old newspapers accumulated in the basement. Amass refers to the collection or accumulation of things, often valuable things, to form an imposing quantity: Their families had amassed great fortunes. Rocks had amassed at the bottom of the glacier.

See also: reap