piling
pile in
1. To enter into something in large numbers all at once, especially in a rough, disorderly fashion. We had Jake and all his friends pile in the van after their soccer practice. OK, everybody pile in, the train's doors won't stay open for long!
2. To gather and load a large number of people or things into something at once, especially in a rough, disorderly fashion. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "pile" and "in." Any chance you can pile us in? Jake's car isn't starting. Here's my backpack—just go ahead and pile all those books in.
See also: pile
pile into (something)
1. To enter into something in a rough, disorderly fashion. We had Jake and all his friends pile into the van after their soccer practice. OK, everybody pile into the train, the doors won't stay open for long!
2. To gather and load a large number of people or things into something, especially in a rough, disorderly fashion. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "pile" and "into." Jake's car was broken, so Samantha just piled us all into hers. You can just pile all those books into my backpack.
See also: pile
pile it on
To continue to add to something until the amount or effect becomes excessive. I like what you've written so far, but you should try being more subtle with the dramatic tensions between the characters—it just feels like you're piling it on a bit. Poor Samantha. Her mother died last winter, her husband lost his job recently, and now she's been diagnosed with breast cancer. Fate has just been piling it on.
See also: on, pile
pile off
To climb down (from something) or disembark (off something), especially in a rough, disorderly fashion. We all piled off the bus and ran toward the beach. The van pulled up and all the kids piled off. The kids piled off the trampoline when I called them in for dinner.
See also: off, pile
pile on the agony
To exaggerate one's pain, difficulties, or problems in order to get more sympathy from others. Primarily heard in UK. My wife's been piling on the agony about her sore back so that I'll do more of the work around the house this weekend. Did you hear Tom? He was really piling on the agony to the boss to try to get this Friday off work.
See also: agony, on, pile
pile on the gloom
To exaggerate one's pain, difficulties, or problems in order to get more sympathy from others. Primarily heard in UK. My wife's been piling on the gloom about her sore back so that I'll do more of the work around the house this weekend. Did you hear Tom? He was really piling on the gloom to the boss to try to get this Friday off work.
See also: gloom, on, pile
pile on the pounds
To put on weight quickly, especially a large or excessive amount. Wow, Jim really piled on the pounds on while he was on his sabbatical. I'm trying to pile on the pounds so I can make it on the football team this fall!
See also: on, pile, pound
pile on the work
To continually or consistently increase the amount of work one or someone else has to do. If he keeps piling on the work like this, he's going to drive himself to an early grave. The boss has been piling on the work lately in order for us to get this project finished before Christmas.
See also: on, pile, work
pile on(to)
1. To climb or clamber on(to) someone or something all at once or in a heap. We all piled on as soon as they opened the doors of the bus. The whole team piled onto the running back after he scored the winning touchdown. The kids piled on the bed to watch the scary movie together.
2. To load many people or things on(to) someone or something all at once or in a heap. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "pile" and "on(to)." He just kept piling the papers on my desk throughout the day. We had to pile everyone onto the tour bus in a hurry so that they didn't miss the reservation. The wagon was already full of produce, but the pickers just kept piling it on.
3. To continue to increase or add up against someone or something. Typically used in reference to evidence, accusations, criticisms, etc. Now that one person has come forward to accuse him of embezzlement, more and more testimony keeps piling on. Criticisms were piling onto the embattled CEO, until finally he was forced to resign from the company. With the amount of bad press that's been piling on the senator, you'd think he would avoid the public spotlight for a while.
4. To continue to uncover or direct negative or damaging things, such as evidence, accusations, criticisms, etc., against someone or something. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "pile" and "on(to)." He's already been given a lecture by the teacher—there's no need to pile more on now. Investigators have continued piling evidence onto the alleged crime lord in an attempt to finally put him away once and for all.
5. To criticize or attack someone in speech or writing all at once or in great numbers. People from across the state have been piling onto me ever since I wrote my controversial opinion piece for the local paper. She's been through enough already—I don't think we need to pile on any further.
See also: pile
pile out (of something)
To exit or disembark from something in a rough, disorderly fashion. Jake and his friends piled out of the van to go to soccer practice. We need to count heads as you leave the bus, so don't everyone pile out all at once!
See also: out, pile
pile Pelion on Ossa
1. To further complicate something that is already tedious or challenging. Ossa and Pelion are two mountains in Greece. A: "I told Becky you would pick her up." B: "I already have so much to do today—quit piling Pelion on Ossa!" Just when I thought I was almost done sorting these files, my boss piled Pelion on Ossa and brought me another box of them.
2. To do something that seems futile. I know that I'm just piling Pelion on Ossa by telling you to stay away from that boy, but I'm your father, and I don't want to see you get hurt. That couch will never fit up the steps—tell them to stop piling Pelion on Ossa!
See also: on, ossa, Pelion, pile
pile the agony on
To exaggerate one's pain, difficulties, or problems in order to get more sympathy from others. Primarily heard in UK. My wife's been piling the agony on about her sore back so that I'll do more of the work around the house this weekend. Did you hear Tom? He was really piling the agony on to the boss to try to get this Friday off work.
See also: agony, on, pile
pile the gloom on
To exaggerate one's pain, difficulties, or problems in order to get more sympathy from others. Primarily heard in UK. My wife's been piling the gloom on about her sore back so that I'll do more of the work around the house this weekend. Did you hear Tom? He was really piling the gloom on to the boss to try to get this Friday off work.
See also: gloom, on, pile
pile the pounds on
To put on weight quickly, especially a large or excessive amount. Wow, Jim really piled the pounds on while he was on his sabbatical. I'm trying to pile the pounds on so I can make it on the football team this fall!
See also: on, pile, pound
pile the work on
To continually or consistently increase the amount of work one or someone else has to do. If he keeps piling the work on like this, he's going to drive himself to an early grave. The boss has been piling the work on us lately in order to get this project finished before Christmas.
See also: on, pile, work
pile up
1. To accumulate, gather, or increase over time. Please don't let your dirty dishes pile up—put them in the dishwasher or clean them yourself! With Deborah out sick all week, jobs have begun to pile up in our department.
2. To put something into a pile or heap. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "pile" and "up." Just pile up your garden waste on the curb, and we will be around in the morning to collect it.
3. To crash into or on top of one another. Because of the black ice on the roads, nearly a dozen cars piled up as they tried in vain to come to a stop.
See also: pile, up
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
pile in(to something)
to climb in or get in roughly. Okay, kids, pile in! The children piled into the car and slammed the door.
See also: pile
pile off (something)
to get down off something; to clamber down off something. All the kids piled off the wagon and ran into the barn. She stopped the wagon, and they piled off.
See also: off, pile
pile something up
1. to crash or wreck something. Drive carefully if you don't want to pile the car up. The driver piled up the car against a tree.
2. to make something into a heap. Carl piled all the leaves up and set them afire. Please pile up the leaves.
See also: pile, up
pile the work on (someone)
Fig. to give someone a lot of work to do. The boss really piled the work on me this week. The boss piled on the work this week.
See also: on, pile, work
pile up
1. Lit. [for things] to gather or accumulate. The newspapers began to pile up after a few days. Work is really piling up around here.
2. Fig. [for a number of vehicles] to crash together. Nearly twenty cars piled up on the bridge this morning.
See also: pile, up
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
pile up
1. Accumulate, as in The leaves piled up in the yard, or He piled up a huge fortune. In this idiom pile means "form a heap or mass of something." [Mid-1800s]
2. Be involved in a crash, as in When the police arrived, at least four cars had piled up. [Late 1800s]
See also: pile, up
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
pile (or heap) Pelion on Ossa
add an extra difficulty or task to an already difficult situation or undertaking. literaryIn Greek mythology, the mountain Pelion was held to be the home of the centaurs, and the giants were said to have piled Mounts Olympus and Ossa on its summit in their attempt to reach the heavens and destroy the gods.
See also: on, ossa, Pelion, pile
pile it on
exaggerate for effect. informalSee also: on, pile
pile on the agony
exaggerate or aggravate a bad situation. informalSee also: agony, on, pile
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
pile in
v.
1. To enter something or some place in a disorderly mass or group: All six of us piled in the car. The subway doors opened and the passengers piled in.
2. To move some people into something or some place in a disorderly fashion: Pile the kids in the van and let's go. I opened the cellar door and piled the logs in. The truck is full and I don't think we can pile in any more rugs.
See also: pile
pile up
v.
1. To arrange something into a pile: We piled up the firewood in the garage. I piled the dirty dishes up in the sink.
2. To accumulate: My bills piled up while I was in the hospital.
3. To cause something to accumulate: The company is piling up debt with its risky investments. The team piled 40 points up in the first half of the game.
4. To crash into each other; collide. Used especially of vehicles: Because of the thick fog, dozens of cars piled up on the freeway.
See also: pile, up
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
- pile in
- piles
- pile into
- pile into (something)
- pile out
- pile out (of something)
- pile off
- crowd into (something or some place)
- scuffle
- scuffle with (one)