pile
pile — noun
1. a group of separate things lying above each other, often in a rough or untidy wa
a group of separate things lying above each other, often in a rough or untidy way.
A pile of clean towels sat on the chair by the bed.
a pile of + plural objects
Nina dropped the letters onto the growing pile beside the printer.
The children jumped into a pile of dry leaves after school.
Dirty plates formed a pile in the sink after the party.
- stack
usually implies a neater or more even arrangement
- heap
often looser and messier, especially for mixed things
- collection
general word; does not suggest shape
文法句型
a pile of + plural noun
用法筆記
Common with 'a pile of' before countable nouns. If the things are arranged neatly and evenly, 'stack' is often more natural.
常見錯誤
2. a raised mass of loose material, such as sand, snow, coal, or rubbish.
a raised mass of loose material, such as sand, snow, coal, or rubbish.
A yellow pile of sand stood beside the new playground.
pile of + loose material
By morning, a pile of snow blocked Mrs. Lin's front steps.
Workers left a pile of black coal behind the old shed.
The dog slept beside a warm pile of straw in the barn.
文法句型
a pile of + loose material
用法筆記
Usually refers to loose material or many small pieces rather than clearly separate objects. Distinguish this sense from noun/1, which focuses on individual things placed together.
3. a very large amount of something, especially work, money, time, or problems.
a very large amount of something, especially work, money, time, or problems.
Lena still had piles of homework to finish before dinner.
piles of + noun for emphasis
Running the cafe takes a pile of time every weekend.
The repair bill cost the family a pile of money.
Mina has piles of questions about her first day at college.
文法句型
a pile of + uncountable noun
piles of + plural/uncountable noun
用法筆記
Often used in 'a pile of' or 'piles of' before abstract nouns and uncountable nouns. In this sense, the idea is quantity, not physical shape.
常見錯誤
4. a heavy post sunk far below the surface so that a house, bridge, pier, or simila
a heavy post sunk far below the surface so that a house, bridge, pier, or similar structure can rest on it.
Workers hammered steel piles into the riverbed before sunrise.
construction: hammer/drive piles into the ground
The wooden house stands on piles above the wet ground.
stand on piles
Engineers checked the concrete piles under the new bridge.
The storm damaged two piles supporting the fishing pier.
文法句型
drive/hammer piles into + ground
用法筆記
Usually a technical construction word. It often appears in the plural because several piles support the same structure.
5. the layer of short fibres standing up from a carpet or from materials like velve
the layer of short fibres standing up from a carpet or from materials like velvet.
This rug has a deep pile that feels soft under bare feet.
textile collocation: deep pile carpet
The cat left tiny marks in the velvet pile.
Low pile carpets are easier to clean in busy offices.
Sunlight showed where the chair had flattened the carpet pile.
文法句型
deep/high/low pile
用法筆記
Most common in descriptions of carpets and fabric, especially with adjectives such as 'deep', 'high', or 'low'.
6. a very large and impressive building, especially a big house, often mentioned in
a very large and impressive building, especially a big house, often mentioned in an informal or slightly humorous way.
The family sold their old country pile after the divorce.
informal British use: country pile
A huge Victorian pile stood above the village on the hill.
The museum is housed in a red-brick pile near the river.
From the train, we could see a grand pile behind the trees.
文法句型
old/country/Victorian pile
用法筆記
Mostly British and often slightly informal. It can sound admiring, amused, or mildly disapproving depending on context.
7. painful swollen veins around the anus; in British English, the usual everyday te
painful swollen veins around the anus; in British English, the usual everyday term is piles.
The doctor said Daniel's bleeding was caused by piles.
British medical use; usually plural
Mrs. Chen bought cream to ease the pain from her piles.
Long hours of sitting can make piles worse for some people.
The clinic offers simple treatment for painful piles.
- hemorrhoids
the usual North American term
- haemorrhoids
the standard British medical spelling
文法句型
have piles
treatment for piles
用法筆記
Usually plural in British English. North American English more often uses 'hemorrhoids'.
常見錯誤
pile — verb
1. to put things somewhere so that they collect in a heap or heaps; or to gather th
to put things somewhere so that they collect in a heap or heaps; or to gather there in that way.
Please pile the wet shoes by the back door.
transitive: pile + object + by/in/on + place
Snow piled up against the garage wall after midnight.
intransitive: pile up
Maya piled extra blankets on the sofa for guests.
Dirty cups were piled high beside the office sink.
Leaves piled in the corner after the strong wind.
- clear
to remove things from a place
- spread out
to separate things instead of collecting them
文法句型
pile + [object] + in/on/by + [place]
pile up
be piled high with + [noun]
用法筆記
Common with particles and prepositions such as 'up', 'on', 'into', 'by', and 'against'. Distinguish from verb/2, where the subject is a group of people moving together.
常見錯誤
2. if people pile somewhere, they move into or out of a place together in a hurried
if people pile somewhere, they move into or out of a place together in a hurried, crowded way.
Fans piled into the small bar after the football match.
pile into + place
The children piled out of the bus, laughing and shouting.
pile out of + vehicle
Five cousins piled onto the sofa for the family photo.
Parents piled into the hall when the storm siren sounded.
文法句型
pile in/out
pile into/onto + [place/vehicle]
用法筆記
Usually takes 'in', 'out', 'into', or 'onto'. It suggests crowded, uncontrolled movement, not calm or orderly movement.