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pile

pile

426 1.9
A heap of things put together
  • noun
  • /paɪl/
translation icon : montón
  • I need to clean this massive pile of boxes.
  • a pile of wood
  • a compost pile
  • a pile of stones

It looks like a whole pile of millipede legs moving.

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Examples

  • Now you got a pile of trash over here.

  • I think I want a big pile of thin pancakes.

  • I have a pile of photos around somewhere.

  • Thanks for sending us a pile of rocks.

  • It's just a pile of junk, really, but it means a lot to me.

  • By the end of the board, the pile of rice had grown as large as Mount Everest.

    Academic text (2012)
  • OK, so we've got a pile of beautiful cuttings here.

  • The trail of popsicle sticks led to this giant pile of boxes.

  • They found what was left of a neat pile of shavings.

  • I need to clean this massive pile of boxes.

Synonyms

lot
vspile
1.0

A large amount of something

focuses more on a collected physical mass rather than abstract amount
deal
vspile
1.4

A large amount of something

is broader and more physical, applying to things collected together
great deal
vspile
677 1.6

A large amount of something, for example patience or money

is more tangible, referring to an actual gathered group or mass
stack
vspile
182 1.0

A pile of things placed one on top of another

covers that idea but also any loose or unordered collection
good deal
vspile
163 1.0

A large amount of something often used with of

is more concrete, suggesting things physically gathered together rather than quantity talk
mass
vspile
71 2.7

A large collection of things often including people

is similar but more concrete, pointing to a visible gathered group
heap
vspile
53 1.1

A pile of things put on top of each other in no order

is the general term for any collected mass or large amount
slew
vspile
  • Informal
46 5.7

A large number of things or people

is slightly more concrete, implying a gathered collection rather than just number
mound
vspile
37 2.1

A small pile of things put on top of each other

is more general and applies to any collected amount not only a raised heap
heap of
vspile
  • Informal
17 1.8

A large pile of things or a large amount

is the neutral, standard word for a collected mass or quantity
raft
vspile
  • Informal
14 5.9

A large number of things or people

is the neutral collected-object term rather than a casual quantity word
mess
vspile
  • Informal
13 2.9

A large number or amount of something

is the plain term for any gathered collection without the messy tone
piles
vspile
2.1

A large amount of things collected together, often in a stack

is broader, meaning any gathered mass rather than only stacked ones
stacks
vspile
  • Informal
3.3

A large amount of things, like books or food

is more physical, stressing objects gathered together rather than amount only
heaps
vspile
  • UK
4.8

A large amount of things, for example work, friends, or food

is the standard term for a gathered mass rather than only quantity talk

Idioms

3 4.6

The most important position with the highest priority

To make a hard situation much worse by adding more problems

Compounds

4 2.9

A heap of rotting plants and food turned into soil for gardens

3 3.2

A crash involving several vehicles on a road

2 3.7

A road accident where several cars crash into each other, often after one car hits another

2 2.7

A messy heap of old things that people throw away

pile on
  • Texting
2 6.0

A sudden wave of criticism from many people online

1 1.3

A heap of thrown away things like paper and bottles

pile driver
  • Specialized
1 6.8

A heavy machine that drives long posts into the ground for building foundations

pile-up
  • Specialized
1 9.9

Many particle collisions that overlap in a detector and make signals unclear

charcoal pile
  • Archaic
7.4

A heap of wood covered with earth that people slowly burn to make fuel

diesel pile hammer
  • Specialized
8.3

A heavy construction machine that uses a diesel engine to drive piles into the ground

atomic pile
  • Archaic
7.7

An early device that makes energy by splitting atoms

galvanic pile
  • Archaic
9.9

An early battery made of stacked metal plates with wet material between them

pig pile
  • Informal
6.7

A playful heap of people on top of each other

pile dwelling
  • Specialized
8.0

A house built on wooden or stone posts that stands above water

8.8

A story or idea that is untrue and silly

pile of whaleshit
  • Offensive
9.9

A large amount of nonsense that is clearly untrue

sheet pile
  • Specialized
7.4

A long flat piece of metal, wood, or concrete driven into the ground to hold back soil and water

sheath pile
  • Specialized
9.9

A row of long metal or concrete posts placed side by side to hold back soil and water

vibratory pile hammer
  • Specialized
9.4

A construction machine that uses strong, fast shaking to push or pull long posts into the ground

voltaic pile
  • Archaic
9.9

A simple early battery made from stacked metal discs like zinc and copper

How Big

mountain
  • Informal
140 3.2
pile
426 1.9
heap
53 1.1
handful
81 1.0
smattering
14 7.5

Surface Forms

pile singular
piles plural

Etymology

Pile for a heap comes from an old word for a 'heap' or 'stack', so imagine a pile as a mass of things put together and counted as one group.