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Glite Dictionary
to take up a collection

to take up a collection

5 3.6
Gather money from a group to give to a person in need or a charity
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : recaudar fondos
  • Mr. Brewster, I want you to know I think you're a hell of a nice man, and we took up a collection for you.
  • take up a collection in church
  • take up a collection to help

Examples

Synonyms

to fund-raise
vsto take up a collection
9 3.5

To collect money to help a cause or project

is more about small group donations rather than organized long campaigns
to fundraise
vsto take up a collection
5 3.5

To collect money for a charity by asking people or holding events

is a simpler group gathering rather than planned events or campaigns
to pass the hat
vsto take up a collection
  • Informal
3 5.5

To ask people to give money for a person or cause

is used for general gathering from a group rather than an in-person request
to drum up funds
vsto take up a collection
4.4

To try to get money by asking people or holding events

is a group collection done more by gathering donations than by active outreach

Antonyms

to disperse
104 4.4

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

How Much

to take up a collection
5 3.6

Surface Forms

take up a collection infinitive
taking up a collection present participle
takes up a collection third person singular
took up a collection past
taken up a collection past participle

Morphology

take + up + a + collection

The meaning 'to gather money or donations' is directly derivable from combining 'take up' (to raise or begin collecting) with 'collection' (an organized gathering of money). This verb + noun composition follows a common, predictable pattern and is easily inferable by a B1 learner who knows the constituents.

Etymology

Take up a collection comes from the practice of passing a plate or bag around at church or a meeting so people could put in money. People would take up the collection by lifting and gathering the donations into one place, so the phrase means 'to gather money from a group'.