pile pile /ˈpaɪl/

noun

1. () A collection of objects laid on top of each other  ( agglomerate , cumulation , cumulus , heap , mound , pile )
   a collection of objects laid on top of each other
     She piled a heap of clothes on the bed.
   She piled a heap of clothes on the bed.
   
2. () [Informal] (often followed by 'of') a large number, amount or extent  ( batch , hatful , mess , mickle [Archaic] , mountain , muckle , passel [American] , peck , pot , deal , flock , heap , mint , quite a little , raft , sight , slew , spate , stack , tidy sum , wad , good deal , great deal , lot , mass , pile [Informal] , plenty )
   (often followed by 'of') a large number, amount or extent
    A batch of letters
   a batch of letters
    A deal of trouble
   a deal of trouble
    A lot of money
   a lot of money
    He made a mint on the stock market
   he made a mint on the stock market
    See the rest of the winners in our huge passel of photos
   see the rest of the winners in our huge passel of photos
    It must have cost plenty
   it must have cost plenty
    A slew of journalists
   a slew of journalists
    A wad of money
   a wad of money
   
3. () [Informal] A large sum of money (especially as pay or profit)  ( big bucks [Informal] , big money [Informal] , bundle [Informal] , megabucks [Informal] , pile [Informal] )
   a large sum of money (especially as pay or profit)
    She made a bundle selling real estate
   she made a bundle selling real estate
    They sank megabucks into their new house
   they sank megabucks into their new house
   
4. A nuclear reactor that uses controlled nuclear fission to generate energy  ( atomic pile , atomic reactor , chain reactor , pile )
   a nuclear reactor that uses controlled nuclear fission to generate energy
   
   
5. The yarn (as in a rug, velvet or corduroy) that stands up from the weave  ( nap , pile )
   the yarn (as in a rug, velvet or corduroy) that stands up from the weave
    For uniform color and texture tailors cut velvet with the pile running the same direction
   for uniform color and texture tailors cut velvet with the pile running the same direction
   
6. A column of wood, steel or concrete that is driven into the ground to provide support for a structure  ( pile , piling , spile , stilt )
   a column of wood, steel or concrete that is driven into the ground to provide support for a structure
   
   
7. Battery consisting of voltaic cells arranged in series; the earliest electric battery devised by Volta  ( galvanic pile , pile , voltaic pile )
   battery consisting of voltaic cells arranged in series; the earliest electric battery devised by Volta
   
8. Fine soft dense hair (as the fine short hair of cattle or deer or the wool of sheep or the undercoat of certain dogs)  ( down , pile )
   fine soft dense hair (as the fine short hair of cattle or deer or the wool of sheep or the undercoat of certain dogs)
   

verb

1. () Arrange in stacks  ( stack , heap , pile )
   arrange in stacks
    Heap firewood around the fireplace
   heap firewood around the fireplace
    Stack your books up on the shelves
   stack your books up on the shelves
   
2. () Press tightly together or cram  ( mob , pack , jam , pile , throng )
   press tightly together or cram
    The crowd packed the auditorium
   The crowd packed the auditorium
   
3. Place or lay as if in a pile  ( pile )
   place or lay as if in a pile
    The teacher piled work on the students until the parents protested
   The teacher piled work on the students until the parents protested