Heap: Definition, Usage & Examples in English

Meaning 1：messy pile (heap)

heap 🔊

/hiːp/

a lot of things put together in a messy way, like a pile but more untidy.

messy pile 🔊

➕

/ˈmɛsi paɪl/

An unorganized accumulation of items, often implying disorder and lack of arrangement.

📁 Category：Objects & Materials 🔖 Level：初级

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Old English 'hēap', meaning a crowd or pile, related to German 'Haufen'.

💡 Mnemonic

Heap sounds like 'heap' of things piled high, think of a heap of leaves in autumn.

📖 Example

After playtime, there was a heap of toys on the living room floor that needed to be cleaned up. 🔊 After playing, a messy pile of toys was left on the floor, requiring cleanup.

🔗 Collocations

a heap of – a large amount of something in a disordered pile

in a heap – in a messy or disordered pile

heap up – to pile things up untidily

🔄 Synonyms

pile (n.) – a collection of things laid on top of each other, often with some order

stack (n.) – a neat pile of objects, usually arranged vertically

mound (n.) – a raised mass of earth or similar material, often natural or shaped

🚫 Antonyms

order (n.) – a state of arrangement or neatness

tidiness (n.) – the quality of being neat and organized

🌱 Derivatives

heaped (adj.) – piled up in a heap or messy accumulation

📖 Cultural Story

In computing, 'heap' refers to a data structure for dynamic memory allocation, derived from the general sense of an unordered collection.