Skip to main content
to gather up

to gather up

43 2.1
Bring things together by picking them up with your hands
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : recoger
  • Please gather up the toys before dinner.

So Greed folds up her robes and gathers up everything left behind.

Autoplay Next

Examples

Synonyms

to pick up
vsto gather up
834 1.0

To lift something or someone from the ground with your hands

means bringing several items together rather than single lifting actions
to collect
vsto gather up
499 1.1

To bring things or people together in one place

is specifically about picking items up by hand or arm
to round up
vsto gather up
169 3.2

To bring people, animals, or things together in one place

applies to physically bringing loose items together by hand
to assemble
vsto gather up
152 3.3

To gather people in one place for a purpose

focuses on physically picking items up rather than organizing them
to take up
vsto gather up
56 2.0

To lift something up, often with a spoon or tool

means collecting multiple items, not only single lifting actions
to scoop up
vsto gather up
47 2.8

To lift or pick up something quickly with your hand

describes general collection without stressing rapid cupped motion
to pull in
vsto gather up
12 3.6

To gather information or things from different places

refers to physically bringing things together by hand rather than sourcing
to swoop up
vsto gather up
1 4.2

Pick something up quickly by moving down fast

describes normal collection without sudden sweeping motion
to scrunge together
vsto gather up
  • Slang
9.1

To get a small amount of something quickly with little money or time

describes ordinary collection without haste or makeshift methods
to ruck up
vsto gather up
  • UK
9.4

To pack your things quickly to get ready to leave

refers to collecting items generally rather than preparing to depart

Antonyms

110 2.7

To make people or animals move quickly in different directions

104 4.4

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

How Much

to amass
66 4.8
to assemble
169 2.9
to collect
499 1.1
to gather up
43 2.1
to pick up
834 1.0

Surface Forms

gather up infinitive
gathered up past participle
gathering up present participle
gathers up third person singular

Morphology

gather + up

The meaning 'to collect and bring things together' is directly derivable from 'gather' (to assemble) combined with the particle 'up', which here signals completion or bringing together. This verb+particle construction follows a common, transparent compositional pattern that a B1 learner who knows both words will readily understand.

Etymology

Gather up comes from the simple action of using your hands to bring loose things together. Imagine bending to gather scattered papers and lifting them up into a pile, so it now means 'to collect and bring things together'.