pile of pay

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "pile of pay" is not a standard expression in written English, but it can be understood in context.
You can use it informally to refer to a large amount of money or earnings, often in a casual or humorous way. Example: "After working overtime for months, I finally received a pile of pay that I can use for my vacation."

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

That's some pile of pay, right?

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

A day later, the road was cordoned off with police tape, a sea of media trucks had descended and a pile of flowers paying tribute to PC Fiona Bone and PC Nicola Hughes was steadily growing.

BBC

The company plans to use some of its domestic cash pile to pay for the deal, which Corning expects to begin adding to earnings per share next year, eventually reaching 5 cents a share by 2016.

The New York Times

The miners may not be at the "bottom of the pile" in terms of pay, as many commentators have pointed out, but with 36% of South Africans having no job whatsoever or unions to argue their case, leaders ignore inequalities at their peril.

BBC

"People always tend to believe that the government can find a pile of money somewhere to pay for new benefits," said Robert Blendon of the Harvard School of Public Health, an expert on public opinion about health issues.

The New York Times

Ted Sarandos, the chief content officer for Netflix, said he was essentially taking the "huge pile of money" that Netflix paid in postage for DVDs by mail — about $600 million this year — "and starting to pay it to the studios and networks".

The New York Times

VERDICT: Quicken allows you to pay a pile of bills in a few minutes if you are covered by a participating insurer.

Forbes

It was just this past March that Microsoft opened the spigot a bit on its huge pile of cash and began to pay an 8-cents-per-share annual dividend to shareholders.

Forbes

Because here we sit when Sequestration takes effect, and you, dear plumbers, are wandering around the building aimlessly, seemingly unaware of our presence -- and apparently blissfully oblivious to the fact that if this damned thing doesn't get fixed, we're all going to be sitting here in a pile of sh-t unable to pay our rent or provide for our kids or feed ourselves when the pot stickers run out.

Huffington Post

While we cannot lose sight of the aggregate need to increase food and agricultural production (the pile of food), we must also pay much more research and development attention to the special production and nutritional needs of the chronically food insecure.

FAO

Many D.J. apps for the iPad aim to transform you into one of those guys who are paid a pile of money to fly to Ibiza and spin techno tracks until the sun rises over the Mediterranean.

The New York Times - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for informal or humorous tone, "pile of pay" can be effective. In formal contexts, opt for alternatives like "substantial income" or "generous compensation package".

Common error

Avoid using "pile of pay" in professional or academic writing, where a more formal and precise term like "compensation" or "earnings" is preferred.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "pile of pay" functions primarily as a noun phrase, acting as the object of a verb or preposition. It describes a quantity of money received as payment. Ludwig suggests this phrase is understood although rarely used.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "pile of pay" is an informal noun phrase used to describe a large amount of money earned as payment. As Ludwig's analysis indicates, its grammatical status is acceptable, but its frequency is rare, predominantly appearing in news and media contexts. While understandable, it's generally best to opt for more formal alternatives like "substantial income" or "generous compensation" in professional or academic writing. The single example in Ludwig suggests using caution and adjusting for the intended audience.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

mountain of money

Emphasizes the large quantity of money.

large salary

Focuses on the regular compensation received for work.

substantial income

Highlights the amount of money received, regardless of source.

generous compensation package

Emphasizes the benefits and perks included in the total remuneration.

considerable earnings

Stresses the amount of money earned through various activities.

wealthy income

Focuses on the abundance of resources generated.

significant remuneration

A more formal term for compensation, implying a large sum.

handsome payment

Highlights the attractiveness and desirability of the payment.

windfall of cash

Suggests a sudden and unexpected gain of money.

lavish payment

Emphasizes the luxurious and extravagant nature of the payment.

FAQs

What does "pile of pay" mean?

The phrase "pile of pay" is an informal way to refer to a large amount of money received as payment for work or services. It suggests a substantial sum, often earned through considerable effort or time.

Is it appropriate to use "pile of pay" in formal writing?

No, the term "pile of pay" is considered informal. In formal writing, it's better to use alternatives such as "substantial income", "generous compensation", or "significant earnings".

What are some other ways to describe a large amount of money earned?

Besides "pile of pay", you could use expressions like "mountain of money" (to emphasize quantity), "large salary" (for regular compensation), or "considerable earnings".

How can I use "pile of pay" in a sentence?

You might say, "After working overtime for months, I finally received a "pile of pay" that I can use for my vacation." Remember that this usage is casual and may not be suitable for all situations.