1. n. & v.
--n.
1. a heap of things laid or gathered upon one another (a pile of leaves).
2 a a large imposing building (a stately pile). b a large group of tall buildings.
3 colloq. a a large quantity. b a large amount of money; a fortune (made his pile).
4 a a series of plates of dissimilar metals laid one on another alternately to produce an electric current. b atomic pile.
5 a funeral pyre.
--v.
1. tr. a (often foll. by up, on) heap up (piled the plates on the table). b (foll. by with) load (piled the bed with coats).
2 intr. (usu. foll. by in, into, on, out of, etc.) crowd hurriedly or tightly (all piled into the car; piled out of the restaurant).
Phrases and idioms:
pile arms hist. place (usu. four) rifles with their butts on the ground and the muzzles together. pile it on colloq. exaggerate. pile on the agony colloq. exaggerate for effect or to gain sympathy etc. pile up
1. accumulate; heap up.
2 colloq. run (a ship) aground or cause (a vehicle etc.) to crash. pile-up n. colloq. a multiple crash of road vehicles.
Etymology: ME f. OF f. L pila pillar, pier, mole 2. n. & v.
--n.
1. a heavy beam driven vertically into the bed of a river, soft ground, etc., to support the foundations of a superstructure.
2 a pointed stake or post.
3 Heraldry a wedge-shaped device.
--v.tr.
1. provide with piles.
2 drive (piles) into the ground etc.
Phrases and idioms:
pile-driver a machine for driving piles into the ground. pile-dwelling a dwelling built on piles, esp. in a lake.
Etymology: OE pil f. L pilum javelin 3. n.1 the soft projecting surface on velvet, plush, etc., or esp. on a carpet; nap.
2 soft hair or down, or the wool of a sheep.
Etymology: ME prob. f. AF pyle, peile, OF poil f. L pilus hair