Pile up

Question

Hi!Please, is it correct to say: a) The selfish husband is thinking about making a good use of her 'poor' wife's money.  b) Joe Frost piled up a huge fortune after saving money for a long time.c) After a terrible snow storm, a incredible quantity of snow piled up at my door, blocking up (?) my way out. My question concerning to letters b and c is if  I can use the verb pile up (= to accumulate) with these two different meanings.Thanks a lot !Conrad

Goodman · Accepted Answer

AnonymousHi!

Please, is it correct to say:

a) The selfish husband is thinking about making a good use of her 'poor' wife's money.

b) Joe Frost piled up a huge fortune after saving money for a long time.

c) After a terrible snow storm, a incredible quantity of snow piled up at my door, blocking up (?) my way out.

My question concerning to letters b and c is if I can use the verb pile up (= to accumulate) with these two different meanings.

Thanks a lot !

Conrad

_{Hi Conrad,}

_{You are correct.}

Piling up – in a sense is accumulating.

His has accumulated a huge fortunate from his business in .

As we grow older, we will accumulate our knowledge.

But “piling up” has a negative stigma to it. i.e. “there is a traffic pile-up involving half a dozen cars on I-5...”

“His debt is piling up to his nose...”

“I have so much work piling up on my desk, I don’t know where to begin…”

BarbaraPA · Answer

Hi Conrad,

a) The husband is thinking about making good use of HIS wife's money. You don't need the article "a."

b) That's marginally okay, but you would expect to see something like "amassed" a huge fortune. You can, however say something about watching your savings pile up.

c) an incredible amount of snow piled up at my door - fine - blocking (no "up") my way out

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks, Grammar Geek.

Best regards,

Conrad

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you, Goodman.

Best regards,

Conrad.

Pile up

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