Pile
/paɪl/
nounverbA2
Definition
A pile is a number of objects placed or thrown on top of each other in a messy or neat way. It can be many items like books, clothes, or papers. When used as a verb, "to pile" means to put things together in a stack or heap.
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See It in Action
A group of things stacked or heaped
- •There was a pile of books on the table.
- •She put her clothes in a pile on the chair.
- •Leaves formed a pile in the garden.
To put things one on top of another
- •He piled the boxes in the corner.
- •They piled wood for the fire.
- •The children piled their toys in a box.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "pile" like "stack" (A1 word), but "pile" can be messy or neat, not always perfect
- ✓Picture a small mountain made of books or clothes on the floor, one on top of another
- ✓It's the feeling when your desk gets full of papers and you put them in one big pile
- ✓Sounds like "pile" → imagine a pile of sand or stones growing taller and taller
- ✓Think of a story where kids pile blocks to build a tower, but it might fall if too high
- ✓NOT like "line" (things in a row), a pile is things one on top of the other
- ✓NOT like "spread" (things laid out flat), a pile gathers things close together
- ✓As a verb, NOT like "arrange" (careful order), "pile" can be quick and a bit messy
Try Other Words
- •Heap: a messy or loose pile of things (Use when the pile is untidy or random)
- •Stack: a neat, organized pile (Use when the pile is carefully arranged)
- •Load: a large amount of things carried or gathered (Use when focusing on quantity or carrying)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: single root word "pile"
- •Etymology: From Old English "pil" or Old French "pile," meaning a heap or mound
- •Historical development: Used since Middle Ages to mean a heap or stack of things
- •Modern usage: Commonly used for physical stacks of objects or as a verb to describe the action of stacking
Reflect & Connect
•Have you ever made a pile of something quickly? How did it feel compared to arranging things neatly?
•What kinds of things do you usually pile, and why do you choose to pile them instead of organizing them?
Fill in the blanks
1.She made a pile of books ___ the desk after finishing her homework.
2.When cleaning the room, they piled the clothes ___ the chair quickly.
3.A pile is different from a stack because it can be ___ or messy.
4.The workers piled bricks ___ the wall to build it higher.
5.Leaves in autumn often form a pile ___ the ground after the wind blows.
6.You usually pile things when you want to ___ them quickly, not carefully.
7.If you see a pile of papers on a desk, you can guess someone has been ___ a lot of work.