accumulation
accumulation — noun
1. the slow, steady act by which an amount keeps growing because new bits are added
the slow, steady act by which an amount keeps growing because new bits are added day after day.
Daily reading led to Esme's quiet accumulation of vocabulary over many years.
accumulation of + abstract noun (vocabulary)
Heavy snowfall caused a rapid accumulation of ice on the roof of the cabin.
accumulation of + concrete noun (ice)
The accumulation of unread emails in Sami's inbox finally forced him to spend a Saturday cleaning it up.
Scientists worry about the accumulation of plastic in the ocean near coastal towns.
Wealth came to the family through the patient accumulation of small profits, not one big win.
文法句型
accumulation of [noun]
用法筆記
Subject is usually an abstract or material noun (wealth, debt, dust, snow, evidence) — the focus is on the slow process, not a single addition. Distinguish from sense 2, which names the resulting pile or amount itself.
常見錯誤
2. the actual mass, pile, or quantity that has built up after this slow gathering —
the actual mass, pile, or quantity that has built up after this slow gathering — what you can point at and measure.
On Beatriz's desk sat a thick accumulation of bills, magazines, and old birthday cards.
countable: 'a thick accumulation of' + plural noun
Doctors found a small accumulation of fluid behind the patient's left knee.
medical context: countable accumulation
After the storm, an accumulation of leaves and broken branches blocked the front gate.
The detective studied the accumulation of receipts the suspect had left in the rented car.
- shortage
a lack rather than a built-up amount
文法句型
an accumulation of [noun]
用法筆記
Used with 'a' or 'an' and a measure word (small, thick, vast). Whereas sense 1 names the activity, sense 2 names the visible result and can be counted. Common in scientific, medical, and journalistic writing.