# gathering

Pronunciation: US say "GATH-ur-ing" /ˈɡæð.ɚ.ɪŋ/; UK say "GATH-uh-ring" /ˈɡæð.ə.ɹɪŋ/

## Noun

1. A meeting or get-together of people, such as a party or other social function.
   - Simple: A meeting where people come together, often for a party or social event.
   - _The annual gathering drew hundreds of alumni back to campus._
   - _She prefers quiet gatherings to loud, crowded parties._
2. A number of people or things collected together in one place.
   - Simple: A group of people or things brought together in one place.
   - _A gathering of storm clouds darkened the whole horizon._
   - _The protest began as a small gathering of students near the gates._
3. The act of collecting produce, goods, or food from nature.
   - Simple: The collecting of food, crops, or other things from nature.
   - _The gathering of wild herbs once sustained whole communities._
   - _Successful gathering depended on knowing where ripe fruit grew._
6. A collection of money or goods made as a charitable contribution.
   - Simple: Money or goods collected to help charity or people in need.
   - _After the sermon, a gathering was made for the orphanage._
   - _The small gathering raised enough to repair the village hall._
7. A group of sheets or bifolios stacked together and folded in half to form a section of a book.
   - Simple: A group of folded sheets that make up one section of a book.
   - _The binder sewed each gathering to the next along the spine._
   - _A missing gathering left a gap in the middle of the text._
8. A swelling such as a boil or tumor that has filled with pus; an abscess.
   - Simple: A swelling on the body filled with pus, like a boil.
   - _The surgeon waited until the gathering came to a head before draining it._
   - _An untreated gathering on the leg can spread infection._

## Verb

4. Present participle and gerund of gather. — present participle and gerund of gather
   - Simple: Present participle and gerund of gather. Use this form for an action happening now or as the name of the action.
   - _Volunteers are gathering supplies for the families left homeless by the flood._
   - _Gathering the scattered papers from the floor, she hurried out the door._

## Adjective

5. Building up or increasing as more is drawn together over time.
   - Simple: Growing stronger or larger as more comes together.
   - _The gathering storm forced the festival to close early._
   - _A gathering sense of unease spread through the room._

## Origin

**Meanings 1–3, 6–8** — From Middle English "gadering," from Old English "gaderung" ("gathering, assembly"), equivalent to "gather" plus the verbal noun ending "-ing."
**Meanings 4–5** — From Middle English "gaderynge," equivalent to "gather" plus the present participle ending "-ing."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/gathering (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).