To regain composure and self-control, especially after being upset, confused, or disorganized.
This phrase emerged in the late 19th century and uses the metaphor of gathering scattered pieces back into a cohesive whole. The imagery suggests that strong emotions or stress can 'scatter' a person's mental or emotional state, requiring deliberate effort to reassemble.
The phrase brilliantly captures how we conceptualize the self as something that can become fragmented under stress. It's related to expressions like 'falling apart' and 'coming unglued,' all of which treat our psychological state as a physical object that can break down or be repaired.
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