Piled

pile ¹  (pl)

n.

1. A quantity of objects stacked or thrown together in a heap. See Synonyms at heap.

2. Informal A large accumulation or quantity: a pile of trouble.

3. Slang A large sum of money; a fortune: made their pile in the commodities market.

4. A funeral pyre.

5. A very large building or complex of buildings.

6. A nuclear reactor.

7. A voltaic pile.

v. piled, pil·ing, piles

v.tr.

1.

a. To place or lay in or as if in a pile or heap: piled books onto the table.

b. To load (something) with a heap or pile: piled the table with books.

2. To heap (something) in abundance: piled potato salad onto the plate.

v.intr.

1. To form a heap or pile.

2. To move in, out, or forward in a disorderly mass or group: pile into a bus; pile out of a car.

Phrasal Verb:

pile up

1. To accumulate.

2. Informal To undergo a serious vehicular collision.

---

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin pla, pillar.]

---

pile ²  (pl)

n.

1. A heavy beam of timber, concrete, or steel, driven into the earth as a foundation or support for a structure.

2. Heraldry A wedge-shaped charge pointing downward.

3. A Roman javelin.

tr.v. piled, pil·ing, piles

1. To drive piles into.

2. To support with piles.

---

[Middle English, from Old English pl, shaft, stake, from Latin plum, spear, pestle.]

---

pile ³  (pl)

n.

1.

a. Cut or uncut loops of yarn forming the surface of certain fabrics, such as velvet, plush, and carpeting.

b. The surface so formed.

2. Soft fine hair, fur, or wool.

---

[From Middle English piles, hair, plumage, probably from Middle Dutch pijl, fine hair, and Middle Low German pile, downy plumage, both from Latin pilus, hair.]

---

piled adj.