pile
//paɪl//
Forms
- Plural
- piles
- present (v1)
- pile
- past (v2)
- piled
- past participle (v3)
- piled
- present participle
- piling
- 3rd person singular
- piles
Definitions
1.A mass of things heaped together; a heap.
- I climbed through, and, standing on a pile of stones, lifted and dragged Cleopatra after me.
2.A group or list of related items up for consideration, especially in some kind of selection process.(informal)
- When we were looking for a new housemate, we put the nice woman on the "maybe" pile, and the annoying guy on the "no" pile.
3.A mass formed in layers.
4.A funeral pile; a pyre.
1.To cover with heaps; or in great abundance; to fill or overfill; to load.
- We piled the camel with our loads.
2.To add something to a great number.
- But as the second half wore on, Sunderland piled forward at every opportunity and their relentless pressure looked certain to be rewarded in the closing stages.
3.(of vehicles) To create a hold-up.
4.To lay or throw into a pile or heap; to heap up; to collect into a mass; to accumulate
- They were piling up wood on the wheelbarrow.
Frequency
Overall
Uncommon· #3374
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Uncommon
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Etymology
From Middle English pyle
From Old French pile
From Latin pīla (“pillar, pier”).