pil´er

pile¹ «pyl», noun, verb, piled, pil|ing.

–n.

1. many things lying one upon another in a more or less orderly way: »

a pile of stones, a pile of wood.

SYNONYM(S): stack, heap.

2. a mass like a hill or mound: »

a pile of dirt, snow, or sand.

3. Figurative. a large structure or mass of buildings; massive edifice: »

The cathedral is a huge, gloomy pile (Tobias Smollett).

4. Also, piles.Informal, Figurative. a large amount: »

I have a pile of work to do. We took piles of pictures.

5. Informal, Figurative. a very large amount of money; fortune: »

to make one's pile.

6. a heap of wood on which a dead body or sacrifice is burned; funeral pile.

7. Nuclear Physics. the former name of a reactor: »

Fissionable material to fuel the pile will be obtained from the AEC on an extended loan basis (Science News Letter).

8. Electricity. a) a series of plates of different metals, arranged alternately with cloth or paper wet with acid between them, for producing an electric current; galvanic pile. b) any similar apparatus for producing an electric current; battery.

9. = fagot (def. 1). (Cf. ↑fagot)

–v.t.

1. a) to make into a pile; heap evenly; heap up; stack: »

The boys piled the blankets in the corner.

b) Figurative. to amass; accumulate: »

to pile up a fortune.

2. to cover with large amounts: »

to pile a plate with food.

3. to place (an object) above something else.

–v.i.

1. to gather or rise in piles: »

Snow piled against the fences.

2. to go in a confused, rushing crowd: »

to pile out into the street.

3. to join together in a group to attack someone.

╂[< Middle French, Old French pile < Latin pīla pillar]

–pil´er, noun.

pile² «pyl», noun, verb, piled, pil|ing.

–n.

1. a large, heavy beam driven upright into the ground or the bed of a river to help support a bridge, wharf, or building: »

He could see on the shore…bamboo huts perched upon piles (Joseph Conrad).

2. the heavy javelin used in the ancient Roman army by foot soldiers.

3. a pointed blade of grass.

4. the pointed head of an arrow, usually made of metal.

5. a wedge-shaped heraldic bearing, usually extending from the top or upper third (chief) of the escutcheon, with point downward.

–v.t.

to furnish, strengthen, or support with piles; drive piles into.

╂[Old English pīl stake¹, shaft < Latin pīlum heavy javelin]

pile³ «pyl», noun.

1. the nap of a fabric, especially a soft, thick nap on velvet, plush, and many carpets: »

The pile of that Chinese rug is almost half an inch long.

2. one of the projecting threads or loops of such a nap.

3. a soft fine hair or down, such as the fine short hair of cattle and the wool of sheep.

╂[< Latin pilus hair]

Usage Pile in the sense of def. 1 is commonly thought of as a special kind of nap, but in strict technical use nap is limited to the short fibers of certain yarns, raised as by brushing, and forming a less dense and regular surface, as on wool or flannel. Shag, originally any long, rough nap, is now used chiefly of woven loops, cut or uncut, that are longer and coarser than pile, as on certain kinds of rugs.