verb / noun

concentrate

KAHN-sun-trayt/ˈkɑːnsntreɪt/

To bring more of something into a limited place or focus.

The woman concentrates the scattered beans into a small pile with a brush.

A woman uses a small hand brush to gather widely scattered dry beans into one compact central pile, visibly concentrating them into a smaller area.

Etymology

Bringing things “together at a center” gives the image of gathering them into a smaller space. Mental concentration extends that image to gathering the mind's powers toward one focus.

In context

POP VIDEOS15:51

this piping hot fluid had the ability to concentrate the scattered gold as it washed through the rock

DISCOVERY OF THE MOTHER LODE VEINS- Most amazing gold find

More examples

The company concentrates its factories near the shipping port.
Simmering concentrates the sauce by letting water evaporate.
Mix one can of juice concentrate with three cans of water.

Forms

concentrate · concentrates · concentrated · concentrating

concentration noun — The act of gathering or focusing something.

Similar words

focus: Focus emphasizes directing attention rather than gathering physical material.
condense: Condense emphasizes reducing volume to make something denser.
gather: Gather brings things together without necessarily increasing their strength.