pile driver

American  

noun

1. a machine for driving piles, usually composed of a tall framework in which either a weight is raised and dropped on a pile head or in which a steam hammer drives the pile.

2. a person who operates such a machine.

3. a person who hits or attacks forcefully or powerfully.

4. Wrestling.  a move whereby an opponent is turned upside down and slammed headfirst to the mat.

5. British Sports.  a powerful stroke, hit, kick, etc.

---

pile-driver British  

noun

1. a machine that drives piles into the ground either by repeatedly allowing a heavy weight to fall on the head of the pile or by using a steam hammer

2. informal  a forceful punch or kick

---

Etymology

Origin of pile driver

First recorded in 1765–75

Example Sentences

The sounds of construction — the slow beeps of a truck in reverse, a pile driver pounding the hard earth — filled the air.

From Seattle Times

When engineers watched the lander’s video footage of its attempt to deploy the mole, they realized something was wrong: the 16-inch-long pile driver was hammering away, but wasn’t getting anywhere.

From Los Angeles Times

Once the workers remove the last piles from the old pier, they’ll use a vibratory pile driver to install about 120 new steel piles.

From Seattle Times

Uses include heavy-duty equipment such as excavators for digging foundations, graders for moving soil and pile drivers for strengthening foundations.

From Los Angeles Times

All of that construction will require huge fleets of diesel-guzzling trucks, excavators, pile drivers, bulldozers and other equipment.

From New York Times