pile

1 of 2noun

/paɪl/

Forms:piles

1

a number of objects placed one on top of the other

He stacked a pile of books on the table.
A pile of dirty clothes lay on the floor.
Snow formed a pile by the roadside.
The workers moved a pile of bricks to the construction site.
She dropped the letters onto a growing pile of papers.

Synonyms:

heap cumulus agglomerate cumulation mound

2

a noticeably huge number or amount of a particular thing

B1

The team had a pile of work to finish before the deadline.
After the storm, there was a pile of debris scattered across the neighborhood.
As the event ended, there was a pile of leftover food that needed to be donated.

Synonyms:

sight quite a little batch spate heap mess pot good deal slew hatful deal mass tidy sum peck muckle passel stack mint flock mickle mountain great deal lot wad raft plenty

3

a substantial amount of money

The actor earned a pile from the blockbuster movie.
She saved a pile by cutting unnecessary expenses.
She saved a pile by cutting unnecessary expenses.
That investment turned into a real pile.
He keeps a pile hidden under his mattress.

Synonyms:

big money megabucks big bucks bundle

4

a large or impressive building

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They live in a huge pile on the outskirts of town.
The billionaire's pile had ten bedrooms and a swimming pool.
The old pile had been abandoned for decades.
Tourists often photograph the historical piles in the city.
Renovating that pile took nearly two years.

5

atomic or chain reactor for nuclear energy production

The first atomic pile was built under strict supervision.
Scientists monitored the nuclear pile carefully.
The pile generated enough energy for the whole city.
Safety protocols are vital around a nuclear pile.
Researchers studied the chain reactions in the pile.

Synonyms:

chain reactor atomic reactor atomic pile

6

a battery made of voltaic cells connected in series

Volta's pile was a major breakthrough in electricity.
The chemistry lab had several piles on display.
He demonstrated the pile to generate a small current.
Early experiments used the voltaic pile for electrolysis.
This pile can power a simple circuit.

Synonyms:

galvanic pile voltaic pile

7

raised fibers forming a texture

The velvet jacket has a soft pile.
The carpet's pile was thick and comfortable.
Corduroy fabric is recognized by its pile.
She ran her hand over the pile of the rug.
The pile wears down after years of use.

Synonyms:

8

foundation support driven into soil

The bridge rests on dozens of steel piles.
Workers drove concrete piles deep into the soil.
That old pier is supported by wooden piles.
Engineers measured the load capacity of each pile.
The building collapsed because some piles were weak.

Synonyms:

piling stilt spile

9

fine, soft, dense hair of cattle, deer, sheep, or certain dogs

The deer's winter pile is very soft.
He brushed the dog's pile to remove tangles.
The puppy has a thick undercoat pile.
The sheep's pile was sheared for wool.
The pile of the coat keeps it warm in winter.

Synonyms: