gath·er 
(găthər)
(găthər)v. gath·ered, gath·er·ing, gath·ers
v.tr.
1.
a. To collect from different places; assemble: gather the pieces of a puzzle; gather information.
b. To cause to come together; convene: The teacher gathered the students around the exhibit.
c. To draw (something or someone) closer to oneself: gathered the shawl about my shoulders; gathered the child in her arms.
d. To draw into small folds or puckers, as by pulling a thread through cloth.
e. To contract and wrinkle (the brow).
2. To harvest or pick: gather crops; gather mushrooms.
3. To conclude or infer, as from evidence: I gather a decision has not been reached.
4. To summon up; muster: gathered up his courage.
5.
a. To accumulate (something) gradually; amass: The top of the bookshelf gathered dust.
b. To attract or be the center of attraction for: The jugglers gathered a large crowd.
6. To gain by a process of gradual increase: gather speed.
7. To pick up or collect (molten glass) using a tool in glass blowing.
v.intr.
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: The truck's speed gathered on the downslope.
4. To come to a head, as a boil; fester.
5. To forage for wild foodstuffs.
n.
1. The act or an instance of gathering.
2. Something gathered, especially:
a. A small fold or pucker made by gathering cloth.
b. A mass of molten glass collected on the end of a blowpipe or other glass-blowing tool.
[Middle English getheren, gaderen, from Old English gadrian; see ghedh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
gather·er n.
Synonyms: gather, collect1, assemble, 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. In other contexts, collect suggests the gradual process by which similar items or materials come together to form a distinct mass: Dust collected on the shelves. Leaves collected in the gutter. 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 Synonyms at reap.
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. In other contexts, collect suggests the gradual process by which similar items or materials come together to form a distinct mass: Dust collected on the shelves. Leaves collected in the gutter. 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 Synonyms at reap.