to foregather

1 9.2

To come together in one place, often for a meeting

verb

Archaic

: reunirse

The community decided to foregather in the park for their annual picnic.

Examples

We are foregathering in sataf as arranged for afternoon tea.

Appointment with Death (1988)
Every summer, friends and family foregather at the beach for a week of fun.
During the festival, people from different towns foregather to celebrate together.

Synonyms

to gather

vsto foregather

∞ 1.0

Bring people, things, or information together in one place

focuses on the act of assembling rather than collecting items

to meet

vsto foregather

229 1.0

To come together at one point, like two rivers or walls

is broader and also covers simple assembling without planned timing

to assemble

vsto foregather

152 3.3

To gather people in one place for a purpose

is a broader term for joining in any place without formality

to get together

vsto foregather

Informal

118 2.8

To bring people together for a meeting or activity

is similar but also covers spontaneous or unplanned assembling

to flock

vsto foregather

74 2.0

To move together in large numbers

is general and applies to groups of any size

to gather around

vsto foregather

70 1.9

Come together in a group near someone or something

describes general assembling not necessarily gathered around a focus

to convene

vsto foregather

Formal

45 5.7

To bring people together for a formal meeting

is less formal and applies to casual assembling as well

to cluster

vsto foregather

41 3.5

To come together in a small group or make people do the same

is wider and covers assembling in both close and loose formations

to come together

vsto foregather

35 2.1

Move toward each other and meet, often touching or closing around something

covers general assembling without implying movement into embrace

to congregate

vsto foregather

30 4.1

To come together in a group for a reason

is more general and applies to any coming together

to flock together

vsto foregather

2 3.0

People and animals come together in a group for safety or shared interest

is more neutral and does not imply attraction by interest

to crowd together

vsto foregather

2 3.0

To stand or move closely in a group

is broader and can mean assembling with more space between people

to agglomerate

vsto foregather

1 8.4

To join together to form a mass or cluster

is more neutral and does not imply forming a single mass

to forgather

vsto foregather

Archaic

9.4

Come together in one place to meet or celebrate

is the modern preferred spelling rather than the older form

to concenter

vsto foregather

Archaic

9.3

To bring attention, ideas, or efforts together on one thing

is general assembling without stressing central focus or convergence

Antonyms

separate

829 2.1

Not joined to another thing and kept apart

to disperse

104 4.4

To cause people and things, like a crowd or fog, to spread over a wide area

How Large

to congregate

30 4.1

to assemble

152 3.3

to foregather

Archaic

1 9.2

to gather

∞ 1.0

to meet

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

foregather infinitive

foregathered past

foregathered past participle

foregathering present participle

foregathers third person singular

Morphology

foregather = gather (transparent) = fore + gather

The verb is formed by prefixing 'fore-' to 'gather'; the core meaning 'to come together' is directly provided by 'gather', so learners knowing 'gather' can infer the word.

Etymology

Foregather comes from the simple parts fore- and gather, where fore- means 'before' or 'in front' and gather means 'collect' or 'come together'. A helpful way to remember it is to imagine people 'gathering in front' of a place, which is why to foregather means to meet or to come together in one place.