English

Verb

take up a collection

1. (idiomatic) To request and receive money or goods of value from members of a group, especially for a charitable purpose.
   • 1885, Mark Twain, Huckleberry Finn, ch. 20:

     Then somebody sings out, "Take up a collection for him, take up a collection!" Well, a half a dozen made a jump to do it, but somebody sings out, "Let HIM pass the hat around!"

   • 1915, Mary Roberts Rinehart, K: A Novel, ch. 27:

     "But I hope nobody's took up a collection for me. I don't want no charity."

   • 2001 Sep. 17, Jodie Morse, "Campus Crusader," Time:

     When Simmons won a scholarship to Dillard University, her high school teachers took up a collection so she'd have a coat.

Synonyms

• pass the hat

References

• take up a collection at OneLook Dictionary Search