together
♦♦♦ to|geth|er /təg'eðər/
In addition to the uses shown below, together is used in phrasal verbs such as `piece together', `pull together', and `sleep together'.
1 [ADV] usu ADV after v, also ADV cl
If people do something together, they do it with each other.
We went on long bicycle rides together...
They all live together in a three-bedroom house...
Together they swam to the ship.
≠ alone
2 [ADV] ADV after v
If things are joined together, they are joined with each other so that they touch or form one whole.
Mix the ingredients together thoroughly...
She clasped her hands together on her lap...
3 [ADV] ADV after v
If things or people are situated together, they are in the same place and very near to each other.
The trees grew close together...
Ginette and I gathered our things together...
4 [ADV] ADV after v
If a group of people are held or kept together, they are united with each other in some way.
He has done enough to pull the party together...
[ADJ] v-link ADJ
Together is also an adjective.
We are together in the way we're looking at this situation.
= united
5 [ADJ] v-link ADJ, n ADJ, v n ADJ
If two people are together, they are married or having a sexual relationship with each other.
We were together for five years...
6 [ADV] ADV after v
If two things happen or are done together, they happen or are done at the same time.
Three horses crossed the finish line together...
`Yes,' they said together.
≠ separately
7 [ADV] ADV before v, n ADV, ADV cl
You use together when you are adding two or more amounts or things to each other in order to consider a total amount or effect.
Together they account for less than five per cent of the population...
8 [PHRASE] pl-n PHR, PHR with n/-ing
If you say that two things go together, or that one thing goes together with another, you mean that they go well with each other or cannot be separated from each other.
I can see that some colours go together and some don't...
9 [ADJ]
If you describe someone as together, you admire them because they are very confident, organized, and know what they want. (INFORMAL)
She was very headstrong, and very together...
10 [PREP-PHRASE]
You use together with to mention someone or something else that is also involved in an action or situation.
Every month we'll deliver the very best articles, together with the latest fashion and beauty news...
11
to get your act together: see act
to put your heads together: see head
put together: see putband together
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If people band together, they meet and act as a group in order to try and achieve something.
Women banded together to protect each other...club together
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If people club together to do something, they all give money towards the cost of it. (BRIT)
For my thirtieth birthday, my friends clubbed together and bought me a watch.cobble together
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V n P
If you say that someone has cobbled something together, you mean that they have made or produced it roughly or quickly.
The group had cobbled together a few decent songs...
You can cobble it together from any old combination of garments.get together
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
When people get together, they meet in order to discuss something or to spend time together.
This is the only forum where East and West can get together.
see also get-together
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P
If you get something together, you organize it.
Paul and I were getting a band together, and we needed a new record deal.
3 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P
If you get an amount of money together, you succeed in getting all the money that you need in order to pay for something.
Now you've finally got enough money together to put down a deposit on your dream home.
= scrape togetherhold together
[PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P n (not pron), V P
If you hold a group of people together, you help them to live or work together without arguing, although they may have different aims, attitudes, or interests.
Her 13-year-old daughter is holding the family together...
...the political balance which holds together the government...
The coalition will never hold together for six months.live together
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If two people are not married but live in the same house and have a sexual relationship, you can say that they live together.
The couple had been living together for 16 years.lump together
[PHRASAL VERB] usu passive, be V-ed P, be V-ed P with n
If a number of different people or things are lumped together, they are considered as a group rather than separately.
Policemen, bankers and butchers are all lumped together in the service sector...
Because she was lumped together with alcoholics and hard-drug users, Claire felt out of place.piece together
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V P wh, V n P
If you piece together the truth about something, you gradually discover it.
They've pieced together his movements for the last few days before his death...
In the following days, Francis was able to piece together what had happened...
Frank was beginning to piece things together.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
If you piece something together, you gradually make it by joining several things or parts together.
This process is akin to piecing together a jigsaw puzzle...pull together
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
If people pull together, they help each other or work together in order to deal with a difficult situation.
The nation was urged to pull together to avoid a slide into complete chaos...
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V pron-refl P
If you are upset or depressed and someone tells you to pull yourself together, they are telling you to control your feelings and behave calmly again.
Pull yourself together, you stupid woman!...
3 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V P, also V n P
If you pull together different facts or ideas, you link them to form a single theory, argument, or story.
Let me now pull together the threads of my argument...
Data exists but it needs pulling together.
= draw togetherput together
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P n (not pron)
If you put something together, you join its different parts to each other so that it can be used.
He took it apart brick by brick, and put it back together again...
The factories no longer relied upon a mechanic to put together looms within the plant.
= assemble
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V n P
If you put together a group of people or things, you form them into a team or collection.
It will be able to put together a governing coalition...
He is trying to put a team together for next season.
3 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V n P
If you put together an agreement, plan, or product, you design and create it.
We wouldn't have time to put together an agreement...
We got to work on putting the book together.
see also put 14scrape together
[PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P n (not pron)
If you scrape together an amount of money or a number of things, you succeed in obtaining it with difficulty.
They only just managed to scrape the money together...
It's possible the Congress Party will scrape together a majority.sleep together
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If two people are sleeping together, they are having a sexual relationship, but are not usually married to each other.
I'm pretty sure they slept together before they were married.stick together
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If people stick together, they stay with each other and support each other.
If we all stick together, we ought to be okay.string together
[PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P n (not pron)
If you string things together, you form something from them by adding them to each other, one at a time.
As speech develops, the child starts to string more words together...
The speaker strung together a series of jokes.throw together
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
If you throw something together, for example a meal or a costume, you make it quickly and not very carefully. (INFORMAL)
Too often, picnic preparation consists of throwing together some sandwiches and grabbing an apple.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] pl-n be V-ed P, V-ed P, be V-ed P with n, also V pl-n P, V P pl-n (not pron), V n P with n
If people are thrown together by a situation or event, it causes them to get to know each other, even though they may not want to.
The cast and crew were thrown together for 12 hours a day, six days a week, until the filming was completed...
If you have men and women thrown together in inhospitable surroundings, you are going to get some sexual tension...
My husband is constantly thrown together with young people through his work.
In addition to the uses shown below, together is used in phrasal verbs such as `piece together', `pull together', and `sleep together'.
1 [ADV] usu ADV after v, also ADV cl
If people do something together, they do it with each other.
We went on long bicycle rides together...
They all live together in a three-bedroom house...
Together they swam to the ship.
≠ alone
2 [ADV] ADV after v
If things are joined together, they are joined with each other so that they touch or form one whole.
Mix the ingredients together thoroughly...
She clasped her hands together on her lap...
3 [ADV] ADV after v
If things or people are situated together, they are in the same place and very near to each other.
The trees grew close together...
Ginette and I gathered our things together...
4 [ADV] ADV after v
If a group of people are held or kept together, they are united with each other in some way.
He has done enough to pull the party together...
[ADJ] v-link ADJ
Together is also an adjective.
We are together in the way we're looking at this situation.
= united
5 [ADJ] v-link ADJ, n ADJ, v n ADJ
If two people are together, they are married or having a sexual relationship with each other.
We were together for five years...
6 [ADV] ADV after v
If two things happen or are done together, they happen or are done at the same time.
Three horses crossed the finish line together...
`Yes,' they said together.
≠ separately
7 [ADV] ADV before v, n ADV, ADV cl
You use together when you are adding two or more amounts or things to each other in order to consider a total amount or effect.
Together they account for less than five per cent of the population...
8 [PHRASE] pl-n PHR, PHR with n/-ing
If you say that two things go together, or that one thing goes together with another, you mean that they go well with each other or cannot be separated from each other.
I can see that some colours go together and some don't...
9 [ADJ]
If you describe someone as together, you admire them because they are very confident, organized, and know what they want. (INFORMAL)
She was very headstrong, and very together...
10 [PREP-PHRASE]
You use together with to mention someone or something else that is also involved in an action or situation.
Every month we'll deliver the very best articles, together with the latest fashion and beauty news...
11
to get your act together: see act
to put your heads together: see head
put together: see putband together
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If people band together, they meet and act as a group in order to try and achieve something.
Women banded together to protect each other...club together
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If people club together to do something, they all give money towards the cost of it. (BRIT)
For my thirtieth birthday, my friends clubbed together and bought me a watch.cobble together
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V n P
If you say that someone has cobbled something together, you mean that they have made or produced it roughly or quickly.
The group had cobbled together a few decent songs...
You can cobble it together from any old combination of garments.get together
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
When people get together, they meet in order to discuss something or to spend time together.
This is the only forum where East and West can get together.
see also get-together
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P
If you get something together, you organize it.
Paul and I were getting a band together, and we needed a new record deal.
3 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P
If you get an amount of money together, you succeed in getting all the money that you need in order to pay for something.
Now you've finally got enough money together to put down a deposit on your dream home.
= scrape togetherhold together
[PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P n (not pron), V P
If you hold a group of people together, you help them to live or work together without arguing, although they may have different aims, attitudes, or interests.
Her 13-year-old daughter is holding the family together...
...the political balance which holds together the government...
The coalition will never hold together for six months.live together
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If two people are not married but live in the same house and have a sexual relationship, you can say that they live together.
The couple had been living together for 16 years.lump together
[PHRASAL VERB] usu passive, be V-ed P, be V-ed P with n
If a number of different people or things are lumped together, they are considered as a group rather than separately.
Policemen, bankers and butchers are all lumped together in the service sector...
Because she was lumped together with alcoholics and hard-drug users, Claire felt out of place.piece together
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V P wh, V n P
If you piece together the truth about something, you gradually discover it.
They've pieced together his movements for the last few days before his death...
In the following days, Francis was able to piece together what had happened...
Frank was beginning to piece things together.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
If you piece something together, you gradually make it by joining several things or parts together.
This process is akin to piecing together a jigsaw puzzle...pull together
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
If people pull together, they help each other or work together in order to deal with a difficult situation.
The nation was urged to pull together to avoid a slide into complete chaos...
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V pron-refl P
If you are upset or depressed and someone tells you to pull yourself together, they are telling you to control your feelings and behave calmly again.
Pull yourself together, you stupid woman!...
3 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V P, also V n P
If you pull together different facts or ideas, you link them to form a single theory, argument, or story.
Let me now pull together the threads of my argument...
Data exists but it needs pulling together.
= draw togetherput together
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P n (not pron)
If you put something together, you join its different parts to each other so that it can be used.
He took it apart brick by brick, and put it back together again...
The factories no longer relied upon a mechanic to put together looms within the plant.
= assemble
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V n P
If you put together a group of people or things, you form them into a team or collection.
It will be able to put together a governing coalition...
He is trying to put a team together for next season.
3 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V n P
If you put together an agreement, plan, or product, you design and create it.
We wouldn't have time to put together an agreement...
We got to work on putting the book together.
see also put 14scrape together
[PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P n (not pron)
If you scrape together an amount of money or a number of things, you succeed in obtaining it with difficulty.
They only just managed to scrape the money together...
It's possible the Congress Party will scrape together a majority.sleep together
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If two people are sleeping together, they are having a sexual relationship, but are not usually married to each other.
I'm pretty sure they slept together before they were married.stick together
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If people stick together, they stay with each other and support each other.
If we all stick together, we ought to be okay.string together
[PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P n (not pron)
If you string things together, you form something from them by adding them to each other, one at a time.
As speech develops, the child starts to string more words together...
The speaker strung together a series of jokes.throw together
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
If you throw something together, for example a meal or a costume, you make it quickly and not very carefully. (INFORMAL)
Too often, picnic preparation consists of throwing together some sandwiches and grabbing an apple.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] pl-n be V-ed P, V-ed P, be V-ed P with n, also V pl-n P, V P pl-n (not pron), V n P with n
If people are thrown together by a situation or event, it causes them to get to know each other, even though they may not want to.
The cast and crew were thrown together for 12 hours a day, six days a week, until the filming was completed...
If you have men and women thrown together in inhospitable surroundings, you are going to get some sexual tension...
My husband is constantly thrown together with young people through his work.