Meeting, n.
1. A coming together; an assembling; as, the meeting of Congress.
2. A junction, crossing, or union; as, the meeting of the roads or of two rivers.
3. A congregation; a collection of people; a convention; as, a large meeting; an harmonius meeting.
4. An assembly for worship; as, to attend meeting on Sunday; -- in England, applied distinctively and disparagingly to the worshiping assemblies of Dissenters.
1 more senses
Syn. -- Conference; assembly; company; convention; congregation; junction; confluence; union.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for meeting; he lists it under collision, company.
Where he writes about it:
Meeting is neutral, and may be of the dearest friends or of the bitterest foes; of objects, of persons, or of opinions; of two or of a multitude. — from collision
Congregation is now almost exclusively religious; meeting is often so used, but is less restricted, as we may speak of a meeting of armed men. — from company