piling

[ pahy-ling ]

noun

1. a mass of building piles considered collectively.
2. a structure composed of piles.

piling

/ ˈpaɪlɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of driving piles
2. a number of piles
3. a structure formed of piles

Word History and Origins

Origin of piling¹

First recorded in 1400–50, piling is from the late Middle English word pylyng; pile ², -ing ¹

Example Sentences

“Things just kept piling up. The books in schools, then the war, and more people shifted. A lot voted for Trump to punish Harris, and a lot voted for him because they started to believe, ‘Maybe this guy is the real deal,’” she said.

From Slate

Although the wins are piling up, the Chargers aren’t content with their performances.

From Los Angeles Times

Not to bring the mood down too much, but the stories are piling up of women killed or maimed because of abortion bans.

From Salon

Refuse is piling up, he argued, because the properties don’t have large enough trash rooms; safety is a heightened concern because residents don’t have sufficient social services.

From Los Angeles Times

“People are still framing questions like that as if where we were four years ago was not in the early stages of a pandemic … when deaths were piling up in hospitals and in nursing homes all around the country.”

From Salon

Related Words

• girder
• joist
• pillar
• plank
• pole
• shaft
• sill
• timber