- pile
- I UK [paɪl] / US
noun
Word forms "pile":
singular pile plural piles
**
1)a) [countable] a number of things put on top of each otherpile of:She sorted her clothes into tidy piles.
a pile of books and papers
b) a lot of things that have been put or have fallen together in an untidy waypile of:The rubbish lay in piles on the street.
The old house had been knocked down, and there was nothing left but piles of stones.
2)a) [countable, often plural] informal a large amount of somethingI'd got through piles of work before lunchtime.
b) [singular] a large amount of moneyHe made a pile from his investments.
3) [singular/uncountable] the surface of a carpet or cloth, formed by the ends of fibres that have been cut4) [countable] a large strong post that is driven into the ground to support a building or other structure5) [countable] informal a very large old house or other building6) piles[plural] informal haemorrhoids•the bottom/top of the pile
— the last or first in status, income, or advantagesWelfare cuts have reduced the income of those at the bottom of the pile.
II UK [paɪl] / US verb
Word forms "pile":
present tense I/you/we/they pile he/she/it piles present participle piling past tense piled past participle piled
*
1) pile or pile up[transitive] to put a large number of things on top of each otherA group of boys were piling branches in a heap for their bonfire.
piled (high) with something:The paving stones were still there, neatly piled against the hedge.
supermarket trolleys piled high with shopping
a) to put a large amount of something somewherePile the cottage cheese onto the potatoes.
a huge plate piled high with spaghetti
b) if a woman's hair is piled up, it is fastened to the top of her head rather than hanging downHer dark hair was piled high on the crown of her head.
2) [intransitive] if things pile somewhere, they gather there in a groupPhrasal verbs:Leaves blew across the park, piling against the railings.
- pile in- pile on- pile out- pile up
English dictionary. 2014.
