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Glite Dictionary
muckheap

muckheap

9.8
A pile of animal dung and straw on a farm
  • noun
  • /ˈmʌkˌhip/
translation icon : montón de estiércol
  • The farmer shoveled fresh straw onto the muckheap behind the barn.

Examples

  • They moved the muckheap to the far side of the field to keep the smell away from the house.

  • Flies buzzed around the old muckheap that had grown over the summer.

  • The muckheap was located behind the barn.

  • Farmers often spread the muckheap on their fields.

  • The farmer shoveled fresh straw onto the muckheap behind the barn.

  • Flies buzzed around the old muckheap that had grown over the summer.

  • They moved the muckheap to the far side of the field to keep the smell away from the house.

Synonyms

midden
vsmuckheap
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A pile of old rubbish and animal bones left by people

applies to a nearby farm pile of dung rather than an ancient refuse deposit
dunghill
vsmuckheap
1 8.2

A pile of animal waste and straw on a farm

is used for such a pile often located near stables
muckhill
vsmuckheap
9.9

A pile of animal dung and farm waste behind a barn

has identical meaning but is a different spelling or regional form
dustheap
vsmuckheap
4.5

A pile of dust and old rubbish thrown away

focuses on animal dung and farm location rather than general rubbish

How Large

midden
  • Specialized
1 9.9
compost heap
  • UK
3 2.8
muckheap
9.8
heap
53 1.1

Surface Forms

muckheap singular
muckheaps plural

Morphology

muckheap = muck + heap (transparent) = muck + heap

The meaning is a straightforward compound of 'muck' (dung/refuse) + 'heap' (pile), so learners can directly infer 'a pile of muck'.

Etymology

Muckheap comes from the simple words muck ('dung' or 'dirt') and heap ('pile'). So it literally means a pile of farm waste, which is why the word describes the smelly pile you might find behind a barn.