accumulate
Translation
to gather, to collect, to amass
Examples
Dust had accumulated on the shelves.
Dust had accumulated on the shelves.
He accumulated a huge fortune.
He accumulated a huge fortune.
Grammar Patterns
((sth.)) to gather or collect (sth.) over time He accumulated a huge fortune.
to gradually increase in number or amount Dust had accumulated on the shelves.
Similar Words
Synonyms: gather, collect, amass; Antonyms: disperse, scatter
Etymology
From Latin 'ad-' (to) + 'cumulare' (to heap up). Think of heaping things up into a pile like a 'cumulus' cloud.
Memory Tips
Think of a cumulus cloud, which is an accumulation of water vapor. The word helps you remember its meaning.