gather strength

gather strength (third-person singular simple present gathers strength, present participle gathering strength, simple past and past participle gathered strength)

1. To build up the motivation to do something difficult.
2. To become more effective.

   The campaign's strategy is gathering strength.

   • 1949, F. A. Hayek, “The Intellectuals and Socialism”, in University of Chicago Law Review, volume 16, number 3, Chicago: University of Chicago, →DOI, page 432:

     Does this mean that freedom is valued only when it is lost, that the world must everywhere go through a dark phase of socialist totalitarianism before the forces of freedom can gather strength anew?

• “gather strength”, in Collins English Dictionary.
• “gather momentum/strength”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• “gather (up) strength/courage”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present.
• “gather your strength​/​courage​/​energy​/​wits” (US) / “gather your strength​/​courage​/​energy​/​wits” (UK) in Macmillan English Dictionary.