What does "collimate" mean?

Collimate: To render parallel to a certain line or direction; to bring into the same line, as the axes of telescopes, etc.; to render parallel, as rays of light. Collimating eyepiece, an eyepiece with a diagonal reflector for illumination, used to determine the error of collimation in a transit instrument by observing the image of a cross wire reflected from mercury, and comparing its position in the field with that of the same wire seen directly. -- Collimating lens (Optics), a lens used for producing parallel rays of light.