collection

collection — noun

1. A set of similar objects that a person has gathered and kept over time, often as

1.名詞B1
釋義

A set of similar objects that a person has gathered and kept over time, often as a hobby or for study.

例句

Priya keeps her stamp collection in a small wooden box on her desk.

collection of + hobby items

The museum's collection of ancient pottery draws visitors from around the world.

possession: museum's / gallery's + collection

同義詞
  • set

    a set implies matching or intentionally grouped items; a collection is more personal and accumulated over time

  • assemblage

    more formal; suggests an artistic or scholarly grouping

  • array

    emphasizes variety and visual display rather than long-term accumulation

文法句型

collection + of + plural noun

用法筆記

Frequently used with a possessive noun (the museum's collection, his stamp collection) or with 'of' to specify what is collected.

常見錯誤

❌I have a set of old stamps from my grandfather.' (when meaning gathered items).
✅I have a collection of old stamps from my grandfather.
💡'set' suggests matching items designed to go together; 'collection' fits personally gathered items.

2. Money contributed by multiple people toward a shared goal, such as supporting a

2.名詞B1
釋義

Money contributed by multiple people toward a shared goal, such as supporting a charity or assisting a religious group.

例句

The church collection raised enough money to fix the old roof before winter.

church collection / charity collection

Leila dropped her donation into the charity collection box at the school entrance.

collocation: collection box

同義詞
  • donation

    donation is a single gift; collection is the total gathered from multiple people

  • offering

    specifically religious; money given during a church service

文法句型

collection + for + purpose

3. A number of people or things that are together in one place but may not be simil

3.名詞B1
釋義

A number of people or things that are together in one place but may not be similar to each other.

例句

A strange collection of objects filled the dusty shelves of the old shop.

a [adjective] collection of [things] — mixed group

The party guests were an interesting collection of artists, writers, and local musicians.

collection of + people (mixed types)

同義詞
  • group

    neutral; does not suggest variety or oddness like 'collection' does in this sense

  • assortment

    focuses on variety of items rather than people

  • mixture

    emphasizes that items are different from each other

文法句型

a/this/that + collection + of + plural noun

用法筆記

Often used with an adjective (a strange collection, an odd collection, a varied collection) to emphasize how mixed or unusual the group is.

常見錯誤

❌There was a collection of people waiting for the bus.' (neutral situation).
✅There was a strange collection of people at the bus stop.
💡use 'group' for a neutral gathering; reserve 'collection' for groups that feel noticeably mixed or diverse.

4. A group of fresh garments and accessories that a fashion designer creates and of

4.名詞B1
釋義

A group of fresh garments and accessories that a fashion designer creates and offers for sale, usually for one season of the year.

例句

Hana's spring collection featured bright colours and lightweight linen fabrics.

spring/summer/autumn/winter + collection

The designer's new collection sold out within hours of the fashion show.

同義詞
  • line

    less formal; 'line' can refer to any range of products, not just seasonal fashion

  • range

    broader than 'collection'; can apply to any product category, not just clothing

文法句型

season + collection

designer's + collection

用法筆記

Subject of discussion is usually a named designer or fashion house. Often preceded by a season (spring, summer, autumn, winter) or a year.

5. The action of retrieving items from a location where they have been left, or the

5.名詞B2
釋義

The action of retrieving items from a location where they have been left, or the task of assembling scattered things into a single place.

例句

Garbage collection happens every Tuesday morning in our neighbourhood.

garbage/rubbish/refuse + collection

Rohan waited for the mail collection at the post office counter before lunch.

mail collection / post collection

同義詞
  • pickup

    less formal, more common in American English for mail or garbage

  • gathering

    emphasizes bringing together rather than taking away

文法句型

collection + of + noun

adj + collection

用法筆記

Commonly used as an uncountable noun in technical contexts (data collection, waste collection). When countable, it refers to one instance of the activity (three collections per week).

常見錯誤

❌The mail pickup is at three o'clock.' (acceptable but American).
✅The mail collection is at three o'clock.
💡'collection' is the standard term in British English for scheduled gathering of mail or rubbish; 'pickup' is informal or American.

6. A book, recording, or other publication that brings together several poems, shor

6.名詞B2
釋義

A book, recording, or other publication that brings together several poems, short stories, songs, or other creative works.

例句

Kofi published a collection of short stories about life in Accra last year.

collection of short stories / poems / songs

The library has a new collection of poetry by contemporary Taiwanese writers.

同義詞
  • anthology

    specifically a collection of literary works by multiple authors; 'collection' can be by one author or multiple

  • compilation

    broader than 'collection'; can apply to any media and often implies material taken from various sources

  • album

    used for music collections on a single recording

文法句型

collection + of + plural noun (stories, poems, songs)