1 A2 neutral
To gather scattered physical objects and bring them together in one place.
"At the end of the lesson, the teacher asked the students to collect up the worksheets."
separable
collect up
A2 neutral separable transitive
To gather together a number of items that are spread around and bring them to one place.
In plain English
To pick up all the scattered things and put them together in one place.
What does "collect up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To accumulate or amass things over time.
"Over the years, he collected up enough vintage stamps to fill three albums."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
Fully transparent: to collect all items up into a group.
Actually means
To pick up all the scattered things and put them together in one place.
Usage tip
Common in British English; the 'up' adds completeness — implying all items are gathered. Frequently used by teachers, parents, and organisers. American English more commonly uses 'gather up' or 'collect'.
Words that pair with "collect up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
books plates papers toys rubbish equipment
How to conjugate "collect up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
collect up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
collects up
he/she/it
Past simple
collected up
yesterday
Past participle
collected up
have + pp
-ing form
collecting up
continuous
Hear "collect up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "collect up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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