---
title: pile — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «pile» in the school dictionary: A pile is a lot of things put one on top of another. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pile/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [P](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/) / pile

# pile

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** pile, things, Piles, 4 piles, She, He · **What happens:** be, put, pile up, grow, mean, push · **To what, where:** lot, one, top, pile, big post, ground

<!-- .vabout -->
«pile» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 10 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [pile in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/pile.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A pile is a lot of things put one on top of another.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pile:m1:1
# text = A pile is a lot of things put one on top of another.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	pile	pile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	lot	lot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nmod	_	_
8	put	put	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	_
9	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	8	obj	_	_
10	on	on	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	top	top	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a pile | a lot |  |  |  | of things | tree rules |
| 2 | **put** | participle | things *not said here* | one |  | top of another |  |  | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V PP.destination NP»: agent=Agent one=Theme on top=Destination |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To pile (up) is to put things in a pile, or to grow into a pile.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pile:m2:1
# text = To pile (up) is to put things in a pile, or to grow into a pile.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	pile	pile	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	advcl	_	_
3	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	up	up	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	2	punct	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	put	put	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	pile	pile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
15	to	to	PART	TO	_	16	mark	_	_
16	grow	grow	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	8	conj	_	_
17	into	into	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	pile	pile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pile up** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1-1 «NP V PP.destination»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  | a pile |  | put *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **grow** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | into a pile *result* | vn become-109.1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient into pile=Result |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Piles of» or «a pile of» can mean a lot of: piles of homework.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pile:m3:1
# text = «Piles of» or «a pile of» can mean a lot of: piles of homework.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Piles	pile	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
6	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	pile	pile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	_
11	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	_
12	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	lot	lot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obj	_	_
15	of	of	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	17	punct	_	_
17	piles	pile	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	nmod	_	_
18	of	of	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
19	homework	homework	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	12	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can | Piles or a pile | a lot of piles of homework |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent lot=Topic |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A pile is also a big post pushed into the ground to hold up a building or bridge.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pile:m4:1
# text = A pile is also a big post pushed into the ground to hold up a building or bridge.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	pile	pile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	also	also	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	post	post	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	pushed	push	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	_
9	into	into	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	ground	ground	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	_
12	to	to	PART	TO	_	13	mark	_	_
13	hold	hold	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	advcl	_	_
14	up	up	ADP	RP	_	13	compound:prt	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	building	building	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obj	_	_
17	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
18	bridge	bridge	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a pile | a big post |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **push** | participle |  | a big post *not said here* |  | the ground |  |  | vn funnel-9.3-1-1 «NP V PP.destination»: agent=Theme into ground=Destination |
| 3 | **hold up** | to-infinitive |  | a building or bridge |  |  |  |  | vn support-15.3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Pivot building=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There are 4 piles of 10 books.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pile:x1:1
# text = There are 4 piles of 10 books.
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	2	expl	_	_
2	are	be	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	4	4	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	piles	pile	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	10	10	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
7	books	book	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **does** | present | 4 piles of 10 books |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She made 3 piles of leaves.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pile:x2:1
# text = She made 3 piles of leaves.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	3	3	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	piles	pile	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	leaves	leaf	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | She | 3 piles of leaves |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pile=Product |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He put the cards into 5 equal piles.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pile:x3:1
# text = He put the cards into 5 equal piles.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	put	put	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	cards	card	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	into	into	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	5	5	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	8	nummod	_	_
7	equal	equal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	piles	pile	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **put** | past | He | the cards |  | 5 equal piles |  |  | vn invest-13.5.4-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent card=Goal |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
How many are in each pile?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pile:x4:1
# text = How many are in each pile?
1	How	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	2	advmod	_	_
2	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	6	det	_	_
6	pile	pile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | many |  |  | each pile |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The kids jumped into the pile of leaves.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pile:x5:1
# text = The kids jumped into the pile of leaves.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	kids	kid	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	jumped	jump	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	into	into	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	pile	pile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	leaves	leaf	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **jump** | past | the kids |  |  |  |  | into the pile of leaves *result* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.result»: agent=Theme into pile=Result |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My clothes are in a pile on the floor.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pile:x6:1
# text = My clothes are in a pile on the floor.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	clothes	clothes	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	6	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	pile	pile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	floor	floor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | My clothes |  |  | a pile |  | on the floor | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The snow piled up against the door.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pile:x7:1
# text = The snow piled up against the door.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	snow	snow	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	piled	pile	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	up	up	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	against	against	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	door	door	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pile up** | participle | the snow |  |  | the door |  |  | vn spray-9.7-1-1 «NP V PP.destination»: agent=Theme against door=Destination |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I have a pile of homework tonight.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pile:x8:1
# text = I have a pile of homework tonight.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	pile	pile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	homework	homework	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	_
7	tonight	tonight	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | I | a pile of homework |  |  | tonight |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pile=Patient |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sort the coins into piles of ten.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pile:x9:1
# text = Sort the coins into piles of ten.
1	Sort	sort	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	coins	coin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obj	_	_
4	into	into	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	piles	pile	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	obl	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	ten	ten	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sort** | imperative | you *not said here* | the coins |  |  |  | into piles of ten *goal* | vn classify-29.10 «NP V NP PP.goal»: agent=Agent coin=Theme into pile=Goal |

## Example 10 {#x10}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
On a pile of cushions, covered with tapestry, sat the boy.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:pile:x10:1
# text = On a pile of cushions, covered with tapestry, sat the boy.
1	On	on	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	pile	pile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obl	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	cushions	cushion	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	covered	cover	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	tapestry	tapestry	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
11	sat	sit	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cover** | participle |  | cushions *not said here* |  |  |  | with tapestry | vn fill-9.8-1 «NP V NP PP.theme»: agent=Agent with tapestry=Theme |
| 2 | **sit** | past |  | the boy |  | a pile of cushions |  |  | vn spatial\_configuration-47.6-1 «NP V NP.theme PP»: agent=Agent boy=Theme on pile=Location |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [pilate](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pilate/)
- next →: [pilgrim](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pilgrim/)
- ↑ back to [P in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/)