Definition

1. Noun:
   • The act of coming together or assembling: A "gathering" refers to the action or process of people or things meeting or being brought together in one place.
   • A group of people assembled for a common purpose: A "gathering" is an event or occasion where people meet, such as a party, meeting, or social function.
   • The act of collecting or accumulating things: In a broader sense, "gathering" can refer to the process of collecting items, information, or resources from various sources.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The family reunion was a joyful gathering. (The event where the family came together was happy.)
  • We attended a small gathering of friends last weekend. (We went to a small meeting of friends.)
  • The gathering of data for the report took several weeks. (The collection of information required a lot of time.)

Advanced Usage

• "In gathering": in the process of collecting or assembling.
  • She is in gathering evidence for her research. (She is currently collecting proof for her study.)
• "Gathering storm" (idiomatic): a situation that is developing and likely to lead to trouble or conflict.
  • The political tensions were a gathering storm. (The political problems were building up to a crisis.)

Variants and Related Words

• Gather (verb): to come together, or to bring things together.
  • People gather in the town square. (People assemble in the public area.)
• Gatherer (noun): a person who collects things.
  • She is a gatherer of antique coins. (She collects old coins.)

Synonyms

• Assembly: a group of people gathered together, often for a formal purpose.
• Collection: the action of gathering items together.
• Meeting: an event where people come together to discuss things.

Related Phrases

• Gathering place: a location where people commonly meet.
  • The café is a popular gathering place for students. (The coffee shop is a common spot for students to meet.)
• Gather up: to collect things and bring them together.
  • Please gather up your belongings. (Please collect all your things.)

Related Idioms

• Gathering dust: not being used; sitting idle.
  • The old books are just gathering dust on the shelf. (The books are unused and getting dirty from lack of use.)
• Gather one's thoughts: to take a moment to think clearly and organize one's ideas.
  • He paused to gather his thoughts before answering. (He stopped to think and organize his ideas before speaking.)

Noun

1. sewing consisting of small folds or puckers made by pulling tight a thread in a line of stitching
2. the act of gathering something
3. the social act of assembling
   • they demanded the right of assembly
4. a group of persons together in one place