Pile — Defs

01 n. A hair; hence, the fiber of wool, cotton, and the like; also, the nap when thick or heavy, as of carpeting and velvet.

1.
A hair; hence, the fiber of wool, cotton, and the like; also, the nap when thick or heavy, as of carpeting and velvet.
“Velvet soft, or plush with shaggy pile.” — Cowper.
2.
A covering of hair or fur.(Zool.)

02 n. The head of an arrow or spear.

1.
The head of an arrow or spear.[Obs.]

03 n. A large stake, or piece of timber, pointed and driven into the earth, as at the bottom of a river, or in a harbor where the ground is soft,…

1.
A large stake, or piece of timber, pointed and driven into the earth, as at the bottom of a river, or in a harbor where the ground is soft, for the support of a building, a pier, or other superstructure, or to form a cofferdam, etc.
2.
One of the ordinaries or subordinaries having the form of a wedge, usually placed palewise, with the broadest end uppermost.(Her.)

Phrases & compounds

Pile bridge — a bridge of which the roadway is supported on piles.

Pile cap — a beam resting upon and connecting the heads of piles.

Pile driver — an apparatus for driving down piles, consisting usually of a high frame, with suitable appliances for raising to a height (by animal or steam power, the explosion of gunpowder, etc.) a heavy mass of iron, which falls upon the pile.

Pile dwelling — See Lake dwelling, under Lake.

Pile plank — a thick plank used as a pile in sheet piling. See Sheet piling, under Piling.

Pneumatic pile — See under Pneumatic.

Screw pile — one with a screw at the lower end, and sunk by rotation aided by pressure.

04 v. t. To drive piles into; to fill with piles; to strengthen with piles.

1.
To drive piles into; to fill with piles; to strengthen with piles.

Phrases & compounds

To sheet-pile — to make sheet piling in or around. See Sheet piling, under 2nd Piling.

05 n. A mass of things heaped together; a heap; as, a pile of stones; a pile of wood.

1.
A mass of things heaped together; a heap; as, a pile of stones; a pile of wood.
2.
A mass formed in layers; as, a pile of shot.
3.
A funeral pile; a pyre.
4.
A large building, or mass of buildings.
“The pile o'erlooked the town and drew the fight.” — Dryden.
5.
Same as Fagot, n., 2.(Iron Manuf.) See: Fagot
6.
A vertical series of alternate disks of two dissimilar metals, as copper and zinc, laid up with disks of cloth or paper moistened with acid water between them, for producing a current of electricity; -- commonly called Volta's pile, voltaic pile, or galvanic pile.(Elec.) Also: Volta's pile, voltaic pile, galvanic pile
7.
The reverse of a coin. See Reverse. See: Reverse

Phrases & compounds

Cross and pile — See under Cross.

Dry pile — See under Dry.

06 v. t. To lay or throw into a pile or heap; to heap up; to collect into a mass; to accumulate; to amass; -- often with up; as, to pile up wood.

imp. & p. p. Piled; p. pr. & vb. n. Piling

1.
To lay or throw into a pile or heap; to heap up; to collect into a mass; to accumulate; to amass; -- often with up; as, to pile up wood.
“The labor of an age in piled stones.” — Milton.
2.
To cover with heaps; or in great abundance; to fill or overfill; to load.

Phrases & compounds

To pile arms — to place three guns together so that they may stand upright, supporting each other; to stack arms.