heaps
heaps Lexical Profile
heaps Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Untidy collections or piles of things placed or thrown haphazardly on top of one another.
"Autumn leaves lay in damp heaps along the stone walls of the courtyard."
A great deal or a large amount of something (informal, often used with 'of').
"We still have heaps of time before the train departs from the station."
• verb
To put or gather objects into a large, untidy pile or mound.
"Every autumn, the gardener heaps the fallen leaves around the base of the fruit trees for insulation."
To bestow or direct a large amount of praise, criticism, or responsibility onto someone.
"The director consistently heaps praise upon the stage crew for their meticulous attention to detail."
• adverb
Very much or a great deal; to a large extent (informal, especially used before comparative adjectives or adverbs).
"After a full night of rest, the patient felt heaps better than she had the previous afternoon."
Word Nuance & Usage
In Australian and New Zealand English, 'heaps' is widely used as an informal intensifier directly before adjectives (e.g., 'heaps good'), whereas in American and British English it is typically restricted to modifying comparative forms (e.g., 'heaps better') or functioning as a quantifier with 'of'.
• Rhymes for heaps
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from Old English 'heap', meaning a pile, multitude, or crowd, from Proto-Germanic '*haupaz'.