collect

Related to collect: collect call, dictionary, Collective nouns

collect (one's) thoughts

To pause and think before speaking or taking action. Can I please just have a second to collect my thoughts before I respond? Susie paused to collect her thoughts and come up with a tactful response to her seething sister.
See also: collect, thought

collect (one's) wits

To try to calm oneself and think clearly and rationally. Take a moment to collect your wits, then tell us how the accident happened.
See also: collect, wit

collect (oneself)

To compose oneself so that one's actions are not dictated by one's emotions. I know you're angry, so you need to collect yourself before you go in there and say something you'll regret to your boss.
See also: collect

collect (something) from (someone)

1. To solicit or gather something, often money, from someone. There's a boy at the entrance collecting money from people for charity. They're doing a food drive at work, and they want to collect canned food from us.
2. To obtain a biological specimen from someone, as for medical testing. We'll need to collect a urine sample from you.
See also: collect

collect around (someone or something)

To gather around someone or something. The kids collected around the clown to watch him make balloon animals.
See also: around, collect

collect dust

To be in a state of disuse for a prolonged period of time. Why do you want another video game console? You already have three collecting dust under the television! My father has lots of old trinkets and memorabilia collecting dust in the attic.
See also: collect, dust

collect for (someone or something)

To solicit money, especially that which is owed, for a particular reason. People keep calling to collect for my credit card bills. There's a boy at the door collecting for charity.
See also: collect

collect on (something)

To request or pursue something that has been offered or promised to one. Remember when you offered to watch the baby? Well, I need to collect on that now. It's time to collect on that debt he owes me.
See also: collect, on

collect up

To gather items. A noun or pronoun can be used between "collect" and "up." I need someone to help me collect up all of these donations for the food drive. Collect your toys up—it's time for bed!
See also: collect, up

do not pass Go, do not collect $200

cliché Used to humorously emphasize that someone must do something or go somewhere without delay, distraction, or deviation. A reference to the board game Monopoly, in which the phrase is written on cards that send players to "Jail" without collecting the usual $200 from passing the "Go" square. The phrase is sometimes written as two separate sentences. (Other currencies may be used depending on the country.) You are in big trouble, mister. When we get home, you are to head straight to your room—do not pass Go, do not collect $200! Before you do anything, you absolutely must make sure there are no errors in data you entered in the system. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. Go to the headmaster's office this instant, Daniel. Do not pass Go, do not collect £200.
See also: collect, not, pass

do not pass Go, do not collect two hundred dollars

cliché Used to humorously emphasize that someone must do something or go somewhere without delay, distraction, or deviation. A reference to the board game Monopoly, in which the phrase is written on cards that send players to "Jail" without collecting the usual $200 from passing the "Go" square. The phrase is sometimes written as two separate sentences. (Other currencies may be used depending on the country.) You are in big trouble, mister. When we get home, you are to head straight to your room—do not pass Go, do not collect two hundred dollars! Before you do anything, you absolutely must make sure there are no errors in data you entered in the system. Don't pass Go. Don't collect two hundred dollars. Go to the headmaster's office this instant, Daniel. Do not pass Go, do not collect two hundred pounds.
See also: collect, dollar, hundred, not, pass, two

gather (one's) wits

To try to calm oneself and think clearly and rationally. Sir, you've just been in an car accident. Take a moment to gather your wits, then please tell us what happened. If your opponent starts badgering you during the debate, remember to gather your wits before responding.
See also: gather, wit

pay (for something) collect on delivery

To pay for a purchase when it is delivered, as opposed to paying in advance at the time of ordering. I always prefer to pay collect on delivery so I can inspect my order before handing over any money. If you do not have a credit card when ordering online or over the phone, you can arrange to pay for your purchase collect on delivery.
See also: collect, delivery, on, pay

recollect (oneself)

To remember or become aware of one's purpose, intention, or situation, especially after a momentary interruption, diversion, or distraction; to become recomposed. The protestor's chants threw the presentation into chaos for a moment, but the speaker soon recollected himself and carried on as before. She appeared to drift off into thought halfway through her story, before recollecting herself and picking up where she left off.
See also: recollect

send (something) collect on delivery

To dispatch something to a recipient who must pay for it upon successful delivery. All our products are sent collect on delivery, so please be sure to have payment ready when your item arrives. I asked them to send the furniture collect on delivery so I could inspect it before handing over any money.
See also: collect, delivery, on, send
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

collect around someone or something

to gather around someone or something; to accumulate around someone or something. The guests collected around the table that held the birthday cake. The children collected around the birthday boy.
See also: around, collect

collect (money) for someone or something

to solicit money for the benefit of someone or something. I would like to collect some money for Fred, who is in the hospital. I am collecting for the church building fund.
See also: collect

collect (money) for something

to solicit money that is owed. I'm collecting money for payment on your loan. Someone is calling to collect for the newspaper delivery.
See also: collect

collect on something

to take or receive payment on a debt or promise. I have come to collect on your debt. I will have to assign your account to an agency to collect on this bill.
See also: collect, on

collect one's thoughts

Fig. to take time to think through an issue; to give some thought to a topic. I'll speak to the visitors in a moment. I need some time to collect my thoughts.
See also: collect, thought

collect something from someone

 
1. to gather up something from someone; to gather money from someone. I'm here to collect used clothing from you. She is out collecting donations from the neighbors.
2. to take a medical specimen from a person. I am here to collect a urine specimen from the patient. The phlebotomist collected the specimen from Todd and left the room.
See also: collect

collect something up

to gather something up. Collect your things up, and let's go. I collected up all my luggage and left.
See also: collect, up
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

collect your wits

or

gather your wits

LITERARY
If you collect your wits or gather your wits, you make an effort to control yourself and become calm again, after a frightening or shocking experience. I took a deep breath and tried to gather my wits. The news was so shocking that I was scarcely able to take it in. Sinking into a leather armchair, I attempted to collect my wits and decide what on earth I was going to tell Lucy.
See also: collect, wit
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

collect yourself/your thoughts


1 try to control your emotions and become calm: I’m fine — I just need a minute to collect myself.
2 prepare yourself mentally for something: She paused to collect her thoughts before entering the interview room.
See also: collect, thought

collect/gather your ˈwits

try to become calm and think clearly: After such a shock I found it difficult to gather my wits.
See also: collect, gather, wit
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

re-collect (oneself)

To become composed again, especially after one has been flustered or confused.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • collect (one's) thoughts
  • collect thoughts
  • collect (one's) wits
  • collect your wits
  • collect/gather your wits
  • collect up
  • collection
  • take a collection up
  • take a collection up (for someone or something)
  • take up a collection
References in periodicals archive
In addition, she informed that the tax authority collected Rs326 billion in sales tax and Rs109 billion in federal excise duty during the period under review.
FBR seeks revision in tax target due to shortage of revenue in FY19
This denied the county the opportunity to know how much they collected during the year.
Electronic revenue collection has failed, audit report shows
Despite the low number recorded by the MMDA, the Manila North Cemetery still recorded the highest number of trash collected from the same period, Martinez said.
MMDA gathers close to 10 truckloads of trash from 27 cemeteries
* Whether the company shares collected personal information with others, the personal information it discloses and who is it disclosed to; and
Does your business need a Privacy Policy?
Water going through this narrow portion is atomized with high speed air, and paint mist collides efficiently against this atomized water to be collected here (Figure 2).
Development of paint booth: "New Paint Mist Collection Method"
Last year, Rumney RFC collected 21,136 tokens and received PS431.86, Birchgrove Primary School collected 20,708 and received PS423.11 and 1st Trowbridge 83rd Cardiff Scout Group collected 19,786 tokens and received PS404.28.
New choir wishes to make lovely music
From Agriculture only Rs 447 million were collected against the target of Rs 838 million, from Finance (tax) only Rs 3,388 million against Rs 8,759 million and from the Board of Revenue Rs 18 million against a target of Rs 21 million were collected.
Govt failed to collect tax, non-tax revenue last year
I phoned one Tuesday at 5pm to say that our garden waste had not been collected. I was told if it was not collected by 11am the next day (Wednesday) to phone back.
Letter: Your Say - Unreliable waste collection
Wigen examined the accuracy of 225 paired rectal swab samples collected from men who had experienced receptive anal sex in the previous year.
Self-collected swabs okay for STDs in men
Cases: To Constitutionally require the dealer to collect and remit sales tax under the Commerce Clause, the U.S.
The future of E-commerce tax liability
In a long-term care facility, when a physician attempts to diagnose an illness, symptoms are considered (problem, hypothesis) and tests are run (collect data, test hypothesis).
Investigating on-site incidents and accidents; Excerpted from the new book Investigations in Long-Term Care Facilities: Implementing a Standardized Model
"We can save in field collections because if you're sending out a field crew for 10 days to collect samples, they can only bring back as much as their bags and truck," says Dagenais.
Portable probe reduces workload
4 Return to the first site and collect two tubes of water.
Water girl: one teen's science project earns her fame and helps to clean up a polluted river
Yet the reds will continue to collect the levy on calls the D.C.
Breaking the levy: an illegal phone tax