The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Collect \Col*lect"\ (k[o^]l*l[e^]kt"), v. t. [imp. & p. p.
   Collected; p. pr. & vb. n. Collecting.] [L. collecrus, p.
   p. of collerige to bind together; col- + legere to gather:
   cf. OF. collecter. See Legend, and cf. Coil, v. t.,
   Cull, v. t.]
   1. To gather into one body or place; to assemble or bring
      together; to obtain by gathering.
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            A band of men
            Collected choicely from each country. --Shak.
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            'Tis memory alone that enriches the mind, by
            preserving what our labor and industry daily
            collect.                              --Watts.
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   2. To demand and obtain payment of, as an account, or other
      indebtedness; as, to collect taxes.
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   3. To infer from observed facts; to conclude from premises.
      [Archaic.] --Shak.
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            Which sequence, I conceive, is very ill collected.
                                                  --Locke.
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   To collect one's self, to recover from surprise,
      embarrassment, or fear; to regain self-control.

   Syn: To gather; assemble; congregate; muster; accumulate;
        garner; aggregate; amass; infer; deduce.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

collecting
    n 1: the act of gathering something together [syn: collection,
         collecting, assembling, aggregation]