Collect Definition

kə-lĕkt

collected, collecting, collects

verb

collected, collecting, collects

To gather together; assemble.

Webster's New World

To gather (stamps, books, etc.) as a hobby.

Webster's New World

To accumulate.

Water collects in the basement.

Webster's New World

To call for and receive (money) for (rent, a fund, taxes, bills, etc.)

Webster's New World

To collect payments, contributions, etc.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

adjective

With payment to be made by the receiver.

To telephone collect.

Webster's New World

To be paid for by the recipient, as a telephone call or a shipment.

It was to be a collect delivery, but no-one was available to pay.

Wiktionary

Synonyms:

noun

collects

A short prayer suitable to the time or occasion, used in certain church services, as before the Epistle at Mass.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

adverb

With payment due from the recipient.

I had to call collect.

Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Collect

Singular:

collect

Plural:

From Middle English collecten, from Old French collecter, from Medieval Latin collectare (“to collect money”), from Latin collecta (“a collection of money, in Late Latin a meeting, assemblage, in Medieval Latin a tax, also an assembly for prayer, a prayer”), feminine of collectus, past participle of colligere, conligere (“to gather together, collect, consider, conclude, infer”), from com- (“together”) + legere (“to gather”).

From Wiktionary
Middle English collecte from Old French from Medieval Latin collēcta short for (ōrātiō ad) collēctam (prayer at the) gathering from Latin collēctus gathered past participle of colligere to gather collect¹

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Middle English collecten from Latin colligere collēct- com- com- legere to gather leg- in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From Latin "oratio ad collectam" (prayer towards the congregation).

From Wiktionary