Collect vs. Receive — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on April 16, 2024
Collect involves actively gathering items or information, focusing on the initiative taken; receive denotes the passive acceptance of what is given or sent.
Difference Between Collect and Receive
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Collecting often implies an active role, where the collector seeks out or accumulates items or data. For example, one might collect stamps or data for research. On the other hand, receiving is inherently more passive, involving being given or delivered something without needing to seek it out actively.
In contexts like collections, to collect means to gather objects systematically, which can involve traveling, purchasing, or discovering. Whereas, to receive would simply involve accepting these objects if they are presented as gifts or transfers.
Collect can also signify the act of gathering funds or resources, often for a specific purpose, such as collecting money for charity. On the other hand, to receive funds relates to the act of accepting money that is owed or donated, without the implied effort of gathering it.
In digital terms, collecting information can include compiling data from various sources actively. Conversely, receiving information might only involve accepting data sent directly to a person or system, like receiving an email.
When it comes to emotional or abstract concepts, one can collect memories through deliberate experiences and efforts. In contrast, receiving advice or feedback usually happens when others choose to share their insights with you, requiring less proactive behavior.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Actively gather items or information
Passively accept what is given or sent
Initiative
High, involves seeking and acquiring
Low, involves acceptance without seeking
Usage Contexts
Collecting stamps, data, funds
Receiving gifts, money, information
Implied Effort
High, requires effort to gather
Low, minimal effort, more about acceptance
Emotional/Abstract
Can collect memories through experiences
Receives advice or feedback passively
Compare with Definitions
Collect
To bring together payments or debts.
The landlord collects the rent at the end of each month.
Receive
To accept or take delivery of goods.
The company received their new equipment last week.
Collect
To gather objects or quantities from various sources.
She collects rare books from around the world.
Receive
To get something that has been sent to you.
She received a package from her family overseas.
Collect
To compile data or information systematically.
The scientist collects temperature data for analysis.
Receive
To be given something as a gift or award.
He received a scholarship for his outstanding grades.
Collect
To amass items as a hobby or for study.
He collects vintage cars and restores them.
Receive
To take in feedback or criticism.
The author received constructive criticism gracefully.
Collect
To accumulate funds or resources for a purpose.
They collected donations for the new library.
Receive
To be the recipient of information or news.
They received updates about the flight via text.
Collect
The collect ( KOL-ekt) is a short general prayer of a particular structure used in Christian liturgy. Collects appear in the liturgies of Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Methodist, Lutheran, and Presbyterian churches, among others (in those of Eastern Christianity the Greek term [déesis] synapté is often used instead of the Latin term [oratio] collecta, both having the same meaning).
Receive
To take or acquire (something given or offered); get or be given
Receive a present.
Collect
Bring or gather together (a number of things)
He went round the office collecting old coffee cups
Receive
To be the person who gets (something sent or transmitted)
Receive an email.
Collect
Call for and take away; fetch
The children were collected from school
Receive
(Sports) To catch or get possession of (a pass or a kicked ball, for example).
Collect
Regain control of oneself, typically after a shock
He paused for a moment to take a breath, to collect himself
Receive
To have (a title, for example) bestowed on oneself.
Collect
Conclude; infer
By all best conjectures, I collect Thou art to be my fatal enemy
Receive
To hear or see (information, for example)
Receive bad news.
Collect
Cause (a horse) to bring its hind legs further forward as it moves
A rider should want to be able to collect a horse when hacking
Receive
To perceive or acquire mentally
Receive a bad impression.
Collect
Collide with
He lost control of the truck and collected two cats
Receive
To regard with approval or disapproval
Ideas that were received well.
Collect
(with reference to a telephone call) to be paid for by the person receiving it
I called my mother collect
Receive
To listen to and acknowledge formally and authoritatively
The judge received their oath of allegiance.
Collect
(with reference to a telephone call) to be paid for by the person receiving it
I called my mother collect
Receive
To take in and convert (radio waves, for example) into an electrical signal or into an audio or visual output.
Collect
A winning bet.
Receive
To experience or be subjected to; meet with
Receive sympathetic treatment.
Collect
(in church use) a short prayer, especially one assigned to a particular day or season.
Receive
To have inflicted or imposed on oneself
Receive a penalty.
Collect
To bring together in a group or mass; gather
The teacher collected the exams.
Receive
To bear the weight or force of; support
The beams receive the full weight of the walls and roof.
Collect
To accumulate as a hobby or for study
Collect old coins.
Collect folk tales.
Receive
To take or intercept the impact of (a blow, for example).
Collect
To call for and obtain payment of
Collect taxes.
Receive
To be exposed to or withstand
The hillside cottage receives strong winds.
Collect
To be the site for (an accumulating mass), especially as a consequence of disuse or neglect
My guitar is collecting dust in the corner.
Receive
To take in, hold, or contain
A tank that receives rainwater.
Collect
To recover control of
Collect one's emotions.
Receive
To admit or accept
Receive new members.
Collect
To call for (someone); pick up
Collected the children and drove home.
Receive
To greet, welcome, or be visited by
Receive guests.
Collect
To come together in a group or mass; gather
Sand collected in the crevices.
Receive
To acquire or get something; be a recipient.
Collect
To take in payments or donations
Collecting for charity.
Receive
To admit or welcome guests or visitors
The couple are not receiving this winter.
Collect
With payment to be made by the receiver
Called collect.
A collect phone call.
Receive
To partake of the Eucharist.
Collect
A brief formal prayer that is used in various Western liturgies before the epistle and that varies with the day.
Receive
To convert incoming electromagnetic signals into sound, light, or electrical signals.
Collect
(transitive) To gather together; amass.
Suzanne collected all the papers she had laid out.
Receive
(Sports) To receive a pass or a kicked ball, for example.
Collect
(transitive) To get; particularly, get from someone.
A bank collects a monthly payment on a client's new car loan.
A mortgage company collects a monthly payment on a house.
Receive
To take, as something that is offered, given, committed, sent, paid, etc.; to accept; to be given something.
She received many presents for her birthday.
Collect
(transitive) To accumulate (a number of similar or related objects), particularly for a hobby or recreation.
John Henry collects stamps.
I don't think he collects as much as hoards.
My friend from school has started to collects mangas and novels recently
Receive
(law) To take goods knowing them to be stolen.
Collect
To form a conclusion; to deduce, infer. (Compare gather, get.)
Receive
To act as a host for guests; to give admittance to; to permit to enter, as into one's house, presence, company, etc.
To receive a lodger, visitor, ambassador, messenger, etc.
Collect
To collect payments.
He had a lot of trouble collecting on that bet he made.
Receive
To incur (an injury).
I received a bloody nose from the collision.
Collect
(intransitive) To come together in a group or mass.
The rain collected in puddles.
Receive
To allow (a custom, tradition, etc.); to give credence or acceptance to.
Collect
(transitive) To infer; to conclude.
Receive
(telecommunications) To detect a signal from a transmitter.
Collect
To collide with or crash into (another vehicle or obstacle).
The truck veered across the central reservation and collected a car that was travelling in the opposite direction.
Receive
(sports) To be in a position to take possession, or hit back the ball.
Collect
To be paid for by the recipient, as a telephone call or a shipment.
It was to be a collect delivery, but no-one was available to pay.
Receive
To be in a position to hit back a service.
Collect
With payment due from the recipient.
I had to call collect.
Receive
(American football) To be in a position to catch a forward pass.
Collect
(Christianity) The prayer said before the reading of the epistle lesson, especially one found in a prayerbook, as with the Book of Common Prayer.
He used the day's collect as the basis of his sermon.
Receive
To accept into the mind; to understand.
Collect
To gather into one body or place; to assemble or bring together; to obtain by gathering.
A band of menCollected choicely from each country.
'Tis memory alone that enriches the mind, by preserving what our labor and industry daily collect.
Receive
(telecommunications) An operation in which data is received.
Collect
To demand and obtain payment of, as an account, or other indebtedness; as, to collect taxes.
Receive
To take, as something that is offered, given, committed, sent, paid, or the like; to accept; as, to receive money offered in payment of a debt; to receive a gift, a message, or a letter.
Receyven all in gree that God us sent.
Collect
To infer from observed facts; to conclude from premises.
Which sequence, I conceive, is very ill collected.
Receive
Hence: To gain the knowledge of; to take into the mind by assent to; to give admission to; to accept, as an opinion, notion, etc.; to embrace.
Our hearts receive your warnings.
The idea of solidity we receive by our touch.
Collect
To assemble together; as, the people collected in a crowd; to accumulate; as, snow collects in banks.
Receive
To allow, as a custom, tradition, or the like; to give credence or acceptance to.
Many other things there be which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots.
Collect
To infer; to conclude.
Whence some collect that the former word imports a plurality of persons.
Receive
To give admittance to; to permit to enter, as into one's house, presence, company, and the like; as, to receive a lodger, visitor, ambassador, messenger, etc.
They kindled a fire, and received us every one.
Collect
A short, comprehensive prayer, adapted to a particular day, occasion, or condition, and forming part of a liturgy.
The noble poem on the massacres of Piedmont is strictly a collect in verse.
Receive
To admit; to take in; to hold; to contain; to have capacity for; to be able to take in.
The brazen altar that was before the Lord was too little to receive the burnt offerings.
Collect
A short prayer generally preceding the lesson in the Church of Rome or the Church of England
Receive
To be affected by something; to suffer; to be subjected to; as, to receive pleasure or pain; to receive a wound or a blow; to receive damage.
Against his will he can receive no harm.
Collect
Get or gather together;
I am accumulating evidence for the man's unfaithfulness to his wife
She is amassing a lot of data for her thesis
She rolled up a small fortune
Receive
To take from a thief, as goods known to be stolen.
Collect
Call for and obtain payment of;
We collected over a million dollars in outstanding debts
He collected the rent
Receive
To bat back (the ball) when served.
Who, if we knewWhat we receive, would either not acceptLife offered, or soon beg to lay it down.
Collect
Assemble or get together;
Gather some stones
Pull your thoughts together
Receive
To receive visitors; to be at home to receive calls; as, she receives on Tuesdays.
Collect
Get or bring together;
Accumulate evidence
Receive
To return, or bat back, the ball when served; as, it is your turn to receive.
Collect
Gather or collect;
You can get the results on Monday
She picked up the children at the day care center
They pick up our trash twice a week
Receive
Get something; come into possession of;
Receive payment
Receive a gift
Receive letters from the front
Collect
Payment due by the recipient on delivery;
A collect call
The letter came collect
A COD parcel
Receive
Receive a specified treatment (abstract);
These aspects of civilization do not find expression or receive an interpretation
His movie received a good review
I got nothing but trouble for my good intentions
Collect
Make a telephone call or mail a package so that the recipient pays;
Call collect
Send a package collect
Receive
Recieve (perceptual input);
Pick up a signal
Receive
Of mental or physical states or experiences;
Get an idea
Experience vertigo
Get nauseous
Undergo a strange sensation
The chemical undergoes a sudden change
The fluid undergoes shear
Receive injuries
Have a feeling
Receive
Express willingness to have in one's home or environs;
The community warmly received the refugees
Receive
Accept as true or valid;
He received Christ
Receive
Bid welcome to; greet upon arrival
Receive
Convert into sounds or pictures;
Receive the incoming radio signals
Receive
Experience as a reaction;
My proposal met with much opposition
Receive
Have or give a reception;
The lady is receiving Sunday morning
Receive
Receive as a retribution or punishment;
He got 5 years in prison
Receive
Partake of the Holy Eucharist sacrament
Receive
Regard favorably or with disapproval;
Her new collection of poems was not well received
Common Curiosities
Is collecting always a physical activity?
No, collecting can also refer to non-physical items, such as data or digital content.
What are examples of situations where one might receive rather than collect?
Receiving gifts, mail, information, or payments are typical examples where one is more passive.
What does it mean to collect something?
To collect means to actively gather or accumulate items or information from various sources.
Can you collect digital information?
Yes, collecting can include compiling digital data or information actively from multiple sources.
What might be involved in collecting for charity?
It typically involves active efforts like organizing fundraising events or soliciting donations.
How is receiving different from collecting?
Receiving is a passive process where one accepts what is given or sent without the need for active gathering.
How does one receive feedback?
Feedback is received when it is given by others, typically in a work or personal development context.
Can one collect and receive the same item?
Yes, for instance, one might collect antiques actively and also receive them as gifts.
Does receiving require the recipient's consent?
Yes, receiving generally involves consenting to accept what is being given or sent.
What types of things can be collected?
Almost anything can be collected, from physical items like stamps or coins to abstract things like data.
What does it mean to receive information?
Receiving information means getting data or insights from others without actively seeking it out.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
