collect
collect — verb
1. to find and store objects of one kind — for instance, stamps, coins, or cards —
to find and store objects of one kind — for instance, stamps, coins, or cards — because you enjoy it as a pastime
Mei started to collect seashells when she was eight years old.
collect + objects-of-same-type (hobby pattern)
Priya collects stamps from every country her family visits.
Ravi has collected over two hundred bottle caps since last summer.
Hiroshi visits flea markets each month looking for vintage watches to add to his collection.
My brother collects comic books and keeps them in special plastic covers.
- discard
to throw away rather than keep
文法句型
collect + noun phrase
常見錯誤
2. to travel to where a person or item is waiting and take them back with you
to travel to where a person or item is waiting and take them back with you
Leila needs to collect her son from school at three o'clock.
collect + person + from + place
Theo collected the dry cleaning on his way home from work.
Yusuf collected his passport from the embassy on Friday morning.
The package is ready so I will collect it from the post office.
Can you collect the kids from soccer practice tonight?
- drop off
to deliver someone somewhere
文法句型
collect + person/thing from + place
用法筆記
Commonly used in British English for picking someone up from a place. In American English, 'pick up' is more frequent for people, while 'collect' is used more for things like documents or parcels.
常見錯誤
3. to get things or information from different people, places, or periods of time a
to get things or information from different people, places, or periods of time and bring them together
The museum collects artworks from artists around the world.
collect + noun + from + source
Hana collected enough data to write her research paper.
The charity collected donations from over five hundred households.
I have collected recipes from my grandmother, aunts, and neighbours.
The library collects old newspapers and stores them in the basement.
- gather
less emphasis on keeping things organised; more about physical coming together
- accumulate
suggests a gradual buildup over time, often without active effort
- assemble
implies arranging items into a group or order
- distribute
to give things out rather than bring them together
- scatter
to spread things apart
文法句型
collect + noun phrase + from + source
4. to ask people for money to help a cause, a group, or a project
to ask people for money to help a cause, a group, or a project
The volunteers collected money for the local animal shelter.
collect + money + for + purpose
Nadia collected donations for the school playground equipment.
We collected over five thousand dollars for disaster relief last weekend.
The students are collecting money to buy books for the classroom.
Rohan collected for the children's hospital by running a charity race.
- raise money
more formal; emphasises the fundraising goal
- solicit donations
very formal, often used in official contexts
- donate
to give money rather than ask for it
文法句型
collect + money + for + purpose
collect for + purpose
用法筆記
This sense is often used with 'for' to name the cause. It can be transitive (collect money for something) or intransitive (collect for something).
常見錯誤
5. to obtain money that someone owes you, such as rent, tax, or loan payments, ofte
to obtain money that someone owes you, such as rent, tax, or loan payments, often as a routine or legal process
The landlord collects rent from the tenants on the first of each month.
collect + rent + from + person
The government collects income tax from all working citizens.
Farouk collects debts for a finance company in the city.
The credit union collects car loan payments from members on the first of the month.
The landlord collects a late fee when tenants do not pay rent on time.
- receive payment
more general, less active
- levy
formal, used specifically for taxes and official charges
- pay
to give money rather than receive it
文法句型
collect + money owed (tax, rent, debt)
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 4 (ASK FOR MONEY): sense 5 involves claiming money that is legally owed (tax, rent, debts), while sense 4 involves voluntary donations for a cause.
常見錯誤
6. to arrive at a single spot or build up gradually over a period, without anyone a
to arrive at a single spot or build up gradually over a period, without anyone actively placing things there
A crowd collected outside the theatre waiting for the show to begin.
intransitive: crowd + collect + place
Dust had collected on the old bookshelf in the corner.
Rainwater collected in the hollow of the tree trunk after the storm.
Fans collected around the stage door hoping to see the singer.
Leaves collected in piles along the garden wall after the windstorm.
- gather
very similar; 'gather' is slightly more common for people
- accumulate
suggests gradual buildup over a longer time, especially for dust or objects
- congregate
more formal, used mainly for people
- disperse
to move apart in different directions
文法句型
noun phrase + collect + (adverbial of place/time)
用法筆記
This intransitive sense describes things gathering by themselves. It is different from sense 3 (BRING TOGETHER), where someone actively brings things together.
常見錯誤
7. to bring your feelings, thoughts, or attention back under control after a shock,
to bring your feelings, thoughts, or attention back under control after a shock, surprise, or strong emotion — for example, taking a deep breath before a speech to calm down
Tomás took a deep breath to collect himself before the interview.
reflexive: collect + himself
Ines stopped for a moment to collect her thoughts after the shocking news.
The striker collected himself after missing the penalty kick.
After dropping a tray of cups, the waiter paused, collected himself, and picked them up.
Aiko splashed cold water on her face to collect herself after hearing the bad news.
- compose oneself
more formal; means to make yourself calm
- get a grip
informal; suggests taking control of emotions firmly
- calm down
more general; not specific to regaining composure after shock
文法句型
collect + reflexive pronoun
collect + thoughts/emotions/nerves
用法筆記
This sense is almost always used reflexively ('collect yourself') or with mental-state objects ('collect your thoughts'). It is rarely used without a reflexive pronoun or mental noun.
常見錯誤
collect — noun
1. a brief spoken prayer used in certain Christian worship gatherings, typically on
a brief spoken prayer used in certain Christian worship gatherings, typically one that matches the theme of that day's service
The priest read the collect for the Second Sunday of Advent.
Each Sunday service begins with the collect of the day.
the collect of the day — fixed phrase
The choir waited as the priest read the collect for the Feast of Saint Francis.
The collect for peace is one of the best-known prayers in the prayer book.
用法筆記
This meaning is specific to Christian liturgy and is not used in everyday conversation. Learners usually only encounter it when studying religion or literature.
collect — adjective
1. describing a phone call, package, or document delivery for which the person who
describing a phone call, package, or document delivery for which the person who receives it pays the cost, rather than the person who sends it
Yusuf made a collect call from the airport to tell his family he had arrived.
collect call — fixed phrase
The package was sent collect delivery, so the buyer paid the shipping cost.
In the 1990s, university students often made collect calls from dormitory payphones.
The factory sends collect shipments only to customers with a valid account.
- prepaid
paid for in advance by the sender
文法句型
collect call
collect delivery
用法筆記
This is used primarily in American English. In British English, the equivalent phrase is 'reverse charge call'.
常見錯誤
collect — adverb
1. in a way where the person who receives a phone call or delivery pays for it, not
in a way where the person who receives a phone call or delivery pays for it, not the person who makes or sends it
Quinn called his mother collect from the hotel in Rome.
call + collect — adverb after verb
The documents were shipped collect to the client's office.
With no coins in his pocket, he had no choice but to dial collect.
The supplier agreed to send the spare parts collect.
Long-distance calls were very expensive then, so most people called collect.
- prepaid
paid by the sender in advance
文法句型
call collect
send collect
ship collect
用法筆記
The adverb 'collect' always follows the verb it modifies (call collect, ship collect). It is pronounced with the stress on the second syllable: /kəˈlɛkt/.