Gatherer

gath·er  (gr)

v. gath·ered, gath·er·ing, gath·ers

v.tr.

1. To cause to come together; convene: The teacher gathered the students around the exhibit.

2.

a. To accumulate (something) gradually; amass: The top of the bookshelf gathered dust.

b. 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.

a. To draw into small folds or puckers, as by pulling a thread through cloth.

b. 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.

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.

4. To come to a head, as a boil; fester.

5. To forage for wild foodstuffs.

n.

1.

a. The act or an instance of gathering.

b. A quantity gathered.

2. A small fold or pucker made by gathering cloth.

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[Middle English getheren, gaderen, from Old English gadrian; see ghedh- in Indo-European roots.]

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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. 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 Synonyms at reap.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	gatherer - a person who gathers; "they were a society of hunters and gatherers" individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul - a human being; "there was too much for one person to do"
	2.	gatherer - a person who is employed to collect payments (as for rent or taxes) accumulator, collector worker - a person who works at a specific occupation; "he is a good worker" conductor - the person who collects fares on a public conveyance gleaner - someone who gathers something in small pieces (e.g. information) slowly and carefully rent collector - a person who goes from house to house collecting rents for the owner revenue enhancement, tax, taxation - charge against a citizen's person or property or activity for the support of government