subs. (American and colonial).—A large sum of money; a fortune: see RHINO. Hence, TO MAKE ONE’S PILE = to make a fortune; TO GO THE WHOLE PILE = to stake everything.
1731. SWIFT, Strephon and Chloe.
| Rash mortals, ere you take a wife, | |
| Contrive your PILE to last your life. |
1858. New York Tribune, 25 Oct. I dug 25 dollars worth of gold dust, and my expenses were about 300 dollars; however, I have clung to the PILE, and intend to keep it as a memorial of my trip. Ibid. (Dec., 1861). The jobber has MADE HIS PILE, and what does he care?
1877. W. BLACK, in North American Review, July, 8. While the carpet-baggers … were MAKING enormous PILES, petty larceny ruled supreme.
1888. BRYCE, The American Commonwealth, II. 704. Great fortunes grow with the growing prosperity of the country, and the opportunity it offers of amassing enormous PILES by bold operations.
1897. B. MITFORD, A Romance of the Cape Frontier, I. xxi. Didn’t care what they did, so they MADE THEIR PILE quickly enough.
TO PILE ON. See AGONY.
TO PILE IN, verb. phr. (American).—(1) To take part; (2) to eat.
1887. MORLEY ROBERTS, The Western Avernus, iv. They … asked us to sit down with them and ‘PILE IN.’
TO PILE OUT, verb. phr. (American).—To come forth.
