pile
1
[ pahyl ]
/ paɪl /
noun
verb (used with object), piled, pil·ing.
verb (used without object), piled, pil·ing.
Origin of pile
1
1350–1400; Middle English < Middle French < Latin
pīla pillar, mole of stone
SYNONYMS FOR pile
Words nearby pile
Definition for piles (2 of 5)
pile
2
[ pahyl ]
/ paɪl /
noun
a cylindrical or flat member of wood, steel, concrete, etc., often tapered or pointed at the lower end, hammered vertically into soil to form part of a foundation or retaining wall.
Heraldry.
an ordinary in the form of a wedge or triangle coming from one edge of the escutcheon, from the chief unless otherwise specified.
Archery.
the sharp head or striking end of an arrow, usually of metal and of the form of a wedge or conical nub.
verb (used with object), piled, pil·ing.
to furnish, strengthen, or support with piles.
to drive piles into.
Origin of pile
2
before 1000; Middle English; Old English
pīl shaft < Latin
pīlum javelin
Definition for piles (3 of 5)
pile
3
[ pahyl ]
/ paɪl /
noun
hair.
soft, fine hair or down.
wool, fur, or pelage.
a fabric with a surface of upright yarns, cut or looped, as corduroy, Turkish toweling, velvet, and velveteen.
such a surface.
one of the strands in such a surface.
Origin of pile
3
1300–50; Middle English
piles hair, plumage < Latin
pilus hair;
-i- short in L but long in Anglicized school pronunciation
Definition for piles (4 of 5)
pile
5
[ pahyl ]
/ paɪl /
noun
the lower of two dies for coining by hand.
Origin of pile
5
1350–1400; Middle English
pyl reverse of a coin < Medieval Latin
pīla, special use of Latin
pīla
pile1
Definition for piles (5 of 5)
pile
4
[ pahyl ]
/ paɪl /
noun Usually piles.
a hemorrhoid.
the condition of having hemorrhoids.
Origin of pile
4Example sentences from the Web for piles
British Dictionary definitions for piles (1 of 4)
Word Origin for piles
C15: from Latin
pilae balls (referring to the appearance of external piles)
British Dictionary definitions for piles (2 of 4)
pile
1
/ (paɪl) /
noun
verb
See also
pile up
Word Origin for pile
C15: via Old French from Latin
pīla stone pier
British Dictionary definitions for piles (3 of 4)
pile
2
/ (paɪl) /
noun
a long column of timber, concrete, or steel that is driven into the ground to provide a foundation for a vertical load (a bearing pile) or a group of such columns to resist a horizontal load from earth or water pressure (a sheet pile)
heraldry
an ordinary shaped like a wedge, usually displayed point-downwards
verb (tr)
to drive (piles) into the ground
to provide or support (a structure) with piles
Word Origin for pile
Old English
pīl, from Latin
pīlum
British Dictionary definitions for piles (4 of 4)
pile
3
/ (paɪl) /
noun
textiles
- the yarns in a fabric that stand up or out from the weave, as in carpeting, velvet, flannel, etc
- one of these yarns
soft fine hair, fur, wool, etc
Word Origin for pile
C15: from Anglo-Norman
pyle, from Latin
pilus hair
Medical definitions for piles (1 of 2)
piles
[ pīlz ]
pl.n.
hemorrhoid
Medical definitions for piles (2 of 2)
pile
[ pīl ]
n.
A hemorrhoid.
Idioms and Phrases with piles
pile