HEAP

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does heap mean? 

• HEAP (noun)
  The noun HEAP has 3 senses:

1. a collection of objects laid on top of each other

2. (often followed by 'of') a large number or amount or extent

3. a car that is old and unreliable

  Familiarity information: HEAP used as a noun is uncommon.

• HEAP (verb)
  The verb HEAP has 3 senses:

1. bestow in large quantities

2. arrange in stacks

3. fill to overflow

  Familiarity information: HEAP used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HEAP (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A collection of objects laid on top of each other

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Synonyms:

agglomerate; cumulation; cumulus; heap; mound; pile

Hypernyms ("heap" is a kind of...):

accumulation; aggregation; assemblage; collection (several things grouped together or considered as a whole)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "heap"):

compost heap; compost pile (a heap of manure and vegetation and other organic residues that are decaying to become compost)

dunghill; midden; muckheap; muckhill (a heap of dung or refuse)

scrapheap (pile of discarded metal)

shock (a pile of sheaves of grain set on end in a field to dry; stalks of Indian corn set up in a field)

slagheap (pile of waste matter from coal mining etc)

stack (an orderly pile)

funeral pyre; pyre (wood heaped for burning a dead body as a funeral rite)

woodpile (a pile or stack of wood to be used for fuel)

stockpile (a storage pile accumulated for future use)

Derivation:

heap (arrange in stacks)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(often followed by 'of') a large number or amount or extent

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Synonyms:

batch; deal; flock; good deal; great deal; hatful; heap; lot; mass; mess; mickle; mint; mountain; muckle; passel; peck; pile; plenty; pot; quite a little; raft; sight; slew; spate; stack; tidy sum; wad

Context example:

a wad of money

Hypernyms ("heap" is a kind of...):

large indefinite amount; large indefinite quantity (an indefinite quantity that is above the average in size or magnitude)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "heap"):

deluge; flood; inundation; torrent (an overwhelming number or amount)

haymow (a mass of hay piled up in a barn for preservation)

Derivation:

heap (fill to overflow)

heap (bestow in large quantities)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A car that is old and unreliable

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

bus; heap; jalopy

Context example:

the fenders had fallen off that old bus

Hypernyms ("heap" is a kind of...):

dysphemism (an offensive or disparaging expression that is substituted for an inoffensive one)

auto; automobile; car; machine; motorcar (a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine)

• HEAP (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they heap    ... he / she / it heaps   
Past simple: heaped   
Past participle: heaped   
-ing form: heaping   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Bestow in large quantities

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Context example:

She heaped scorn upon him

Hypernyms (to "heap" is one way to...):

give (transfer possession of something concrete or abstract to somebody)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody with something
Somebody ----s something on somebody

Derivation:

heap ((often followed by 'of') a large number or amount or extent)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Arrange in stacks

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

heap; pile; stack

Context example:

stack your books up on the shelves

Hypernyms (to "heap" is one way to...):

arrange; set up (put into a proper or systematic order)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "heap"):

rick (pile in ricks)

cord (stack in cords)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something PP

Sentence example:

They heap the books into the box

Also:

heap up (arrange into piles or stacks)

Derivation:

heap (a collection of objects laid on top of each other)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Fill to overflow

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

heap the platter with potatoes

Hypernyms (to "heap" is one way to...):

fill; fill up; make full (make full, also in a metaphorical sense)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

They heap the cart with boxes

Derivation:

heap ((often followed by 'of') a large number or amount or extent)

 Context examples 

Some people say that the manager just plunges his hand into the heap and takes the first that comes.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

That trying climate!—like living, they tell me, on a sand-heap, underneath a burning-glass!

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

First, Dr. Seward told us that when he and Dr. Van Helsing had gone down to the room below they had found Renfield lying on the floor, all in a heap.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

In the garden behind the house is a large tan-heap, and on that you must stand and watch for me.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

He had no money for stamps, so the manuscripts accumulated in a heap under the table.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

It was hard work, but between us, we talked her over, for we had heaps of good reasons on our side.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

This year they will meet in Capricorn, lighting your third house of communication, and they will heap gifts to you in this area of your chart.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Like giants they toiled, days flashing on the heels of days like dreams as they heaped the treasure up.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

When the Wicked Witch looked out again and saw all her crows lying in a heap, she got into a terrible rage, and blew three times upon her silver whistle.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

When he had gathered a heap he built a fire,—a smouldering, smudgy fire,—and put a tin pot of water on to boil.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)