piles
- 01 A2 Elementary
more than one stack of objects placed on top of each other.
plural of 'pile'; multiple collections of objects laid one on top of another.
Simple“There were piles of old newspapers in the corner of the garage.”
In context“The researcher spent the afternoon sorting through disorganized piles of documents that had been left in the archive for decades.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
a very large amount of something, like money or work.
a large quantity or amount; often used as a quantifier in informal contexts.
Simple“He made piles of money when he sold his first company.”
In context“Despite having piles of work to finish before the weekend, she decided to attend the gallery opening anyway.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
swollen veins in the area where waste leaves the body, which can be painful.
a medical condition involving swollen veins in the rectum or anus; the common term for haemorrhoids.
Simple“The doctor suggested a special cream to help treat his piles.”
In context“Chronic constipation is a primary risk factor for the development of piles in older patients.”
UsageAlways used in the plural form.
Teacher's tipWhile 'haemorrhoids' is the formal medical term, 'piles' is the standard word used in everyday British and American English.
Synonyms
“Piles of broken concrete and twisted metal block almost everything.”
“Large numbers of Lime bikes were left in piles in London.”
From Latin pila (“ball”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.