[Idiom] Thanks for piling on.

[rainous]

What's "pile on" mean?

Is it similar to "rub it in"?

Thanks

 

[Tdol]

If you pile it on, you keep adding or saying things to make the other person feel bad. (I would always say pile it on, but others may be not)

 

[5jj]

If you pile it on, you keep adding or saying things to make the other person feel bad. (I would always say pile it on, but others may be not)

You can pile on the agony, drama, etc. I think the pronoun in 'pile it on' implies some such word.

 

[rida3]

pile/lay it on (thick); lay it on with a trowel (colloquial)
to exaggarate: Lay it on thick; flatter the fool. Tell him he's divinely handsome.

pile/put on the agony (colloquial)
1) to exaggarate one's pain, problems etc: He was piling on the agony about his childhood.
2) to make things worse: Far from healing any distress, such dreadful suggestions pile on the agony.

 

[5jj]

pile/lay it on (thick); lay it on with a trowel (colloquial)
to exaggarate: Lay it on thick; flatter the fool. Tell him he's divinely handsome.

pile/put on the agony (colloquial)
1) to exaggarate one's pain, problems etc: He was piling on the agony about his childhood.
2) to make things worse: Far from healing any distress, such dreadful suggestions pile on the agony.

Thanks for that, but if you are quoting from a dictionary, please name your source. We need to be careful about copyright infringement.

 

[BobK]

What I thought this thread was talking about - seeing only the title, which I thought was inviting answers from many people - was 'pile in'.( Not relevant, but maybe worth a note in your vocabulary book. ;-))

b

 

[britintheUS]

I now live in Texas and I've heard "pile in" used when somebody is getting in a car with some others. "Everybody hurry up and pile in". Just another instance for you, but I always took it to mean, "putting too much of something, excess", so anywhere that is concerned it could be used.

 

[TheEditor]

Hi,

This is my first post here. I'm a lifelong journalist and thought I might be able to help with some of the more obscure slang words and phrases.

In my experience, "piling on" is a term taken from American football. It helps to know that in this sport, a player can score by carrying the ball across his opponent's goal line. But of course, the opponents try to stop him from doing so -- which involves "tackling" him (wrapping their arms around him and knocking him to the ground).

When a player is down, the play is over, so there's no need for other opposing players to fall on top of him, too. But if they do, it's called "piling on," and it's generally considered unsportsmanlike.

"Piling on" can also be applied to everyday situations in which several people attack one person, usually unfairly or unnecessarily.

For example: "It was bad enough when the boss yelled at me during our staff meeting, but then my co-workers started piling on."

So ... "rub it in" is close in meaning.

By the way, "pile in" is a different expression that usually refers to a group of people crowding into a vehicle. Example: "Come on, kids, pile in the car and I'll take you to Dairy Queen for ice cream."

I hope that helps.

 

[waflob]

What's "pile on" mean?

Is it similar to "rub it in"?

It's not really the same thing. "Pile on" has been explained, but "rub it in" hasn't.

You may ask, "What is being rubbed in? And where?".
My answer would be that salt is being rubbed into the wound. Similar to the saying "Adding insult to injury".