<p><strong>Verb (used with object):</strong></p><ul><li>to gather together; assemble: The professor collected the students' exams</li><li>to accumulate; make a collection of: to collect stamps</li><li>to receive or compel payment of: to collect a bill</li><li>to regain control of (oneself or one's thoughts, faculties, composure, or the like): At the news of her promotion, she took a few minutes to collect herself</li><li>to call for and take with one: They collected their mail; He drove off to collect his guests</li><li>to bring (a horse) into a collected attitude</li><li>Archaic: to infer</li></ul><p><strong>Verb (used without object):</strong></p><ul><li>to gather together; assemble: The students collected in the assembly hall</li><li>to accumulate: Rainwater collected in the barrel</li><li>to receive payment (often followed by on): He collected on the damage to his house</li><li>to gather or bring together books, stamps, coins, etc., usually as a hobby: He's been collecting for years</li><li>(of a horse) to come into a collected attitude</li></ul><p><strong>Adjective:</strong></p><ul><li>requiring payment by the recipient: a telegram sent collect; a collect telephone call</li></ul>