collect

To bring things together in one place or group.

• I collect old coins.
• She collected the papers from the desk.
• The team is collecting data about local birds.

How to use it: collect something from someone/something (We collected information from local families.)

Similar words: gather, assemble, amass

Opposites: scatter, disperse

Common phrases: collect data, collect stamps, collect something together, collect papers

To get money or something else that someone owes or has ready for you.

• He collects the rent each month.
• She went on stage to collect her prize.
• The company has not collected the money it is owed.

How to use it: collect something from someone (The owner collects rent from the tenants every month.)

Similar words: receive, get

Common phrases: collect rent, collect a payment, collect a prize

Paid for by the person receiving the phone call or goods.

• He made a collect call home.
• Will you accept this collect call?
• The office refused the collect shipment because no one could pay.

Similar words: reverse-charge

Opposites: prepaid

Common phrases: collect call, collect shipment, collect delivery

With the cost paid by the person receiving the call or goods.

• I called collect from the airport.
• The company ships these boxes collect.
• Can I send the package collect?

Similar words: at the recipient's expense

Common phrases: call collect, ship collect, send something collect

A short prayer used during a Christian church service, often before a reading from the Bible.

• The priest read the collect.
• Today's collect asks for peace.
• She found the collect for Easter in the prayer book.

Similar words: prayer

Common phrases: the sunday collect, read the collect, collect for easter