Expert: Rosemary Lenc - 6/13/2009

Question
What is the difference between gather and collect?
Please explain it with example.

Answer
Dear Shubh,
The difference between gather and collect is given below.  There are times when we use them interchangeably but there are times when we use collect only when we mean to collect items for orderly arrangement or as a hobby.  Check all the ideas from dictionary.com below and then scroll down to the other sites for more examples, esp. the last site from webster dictionary

Collect implies purposeful accumulation to form an ordered whole: to collect evidence.


Gather  expresses the general idea usually with no implication of arrangement: to gather seashells

#1 to cause to come together; convene: The teacher gathered the students around the exhibit.
#2

  1. To accumulate (something) gradually; amass: The top of the bookshelf gathered dust.
  2. To harvest or pick: gather flowers; gather wild foods.
  3. To draw into small folds or puckers, as by pulling a thread through cloth.
  4. To contract and wrinkle (the brow).



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.
The above are taken from dictionary.com  (You need to scroll down to get the differences between collect and gather.
The following are sites that also explain the differences.

http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic1941.html


http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic367.html


http://books.google.com/books?id=8N4UReTJYhUC&pg=PA369&lpg=PA369&dq=difference+b...

The above sites, esp. the last one, gives many examples of when we use each of these words.  The difference between gather & collect is minute but many times the use of each is due to the idea of purpose...order.  

Check out the above sites especially the last one with more examples.

Thanks for using AllExperts.
Mrs. Lenc