1 A2 neutral
To physically gather scattered material into a pile using a rake.
"We raked together all the autumn leaves into a big pile for the bonfire."
separable
rake together
B2 neutral separable transitive
To gather things (especially money or people) with difficulty from various sources.
In plain English
To collect something bit by bit from different places, usually when it's hard to find enough.
What does "rake together" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
To gather resources, money, or people from various sources, usually with difficulty.
"She managed to rake together just enough money to cover the deposit."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
Using a rake to pull scattered material into one pile.
Actually means
To collect something bit by bit from different places, usually when it's hard to find enough.
Usage tip
Less common than 'scrape together' in the figurative sense. The literal sense (using a rake to pile up leaves or debris) is transparent. The figurative sense implies effort and scarcity.
Words that pair with "rake together"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
money funds leaves support people resources
How to conjugate "rake together"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
rake together
I/you/we/they
3rd person
rakes together
he/she/it
Past simple
raked together
yesterday
Past participle
raked together
have + pp
-ing form
raking together
continuous
Hear "rake together" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "rake together" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.