pileup

American  

[pahyl-uhp] / ˈpaɪlˌʌp /

Or pile-up

noun

1. a massive collision of several or many moving vehicles.

2. an accumulation, as of work, chores, or bills.

3. a rough or disorderly falling of people upon one another, as in a football game.

---

Etymology

Origin of pileup

First recorded in 1825–35; noun use of verb phrase pile up

Example Sentences

Technically known as radiation fog, it can develop in any valley, but the geography of the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys can make it particularly intense, resulting in several massive freeway pileups in recent years.

From Los Angeles Times

It causes pileups, traps airborne pollutants and has even inspired poetry about its haunting beauty.

From Los Angeles Times

The advantages are obvious: The method could be used for future data storage and for fast data transmission at terahertz rates without the systems being slowed down by the pileup of heat.

From Science Daily

TSA has often been a crapshoot, risking pileups as travelers pulled laptops from carry-ons and novice vacationers struggled to untie their sneakers.

From The Wall Street Journal

Some ended up with an inventory pileup just as shoppers pulled back their spending, leaving companies to discount goods and take a hit on their margins, analysts said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• accumulation