piling on

English

Verb

piling on

1. present participle and gerund of pile on

Noun

piling on (uncountable)

1. A fighting tactic wherein multiple people attack another.
   1. (American football) An illegal strategy wherein players tackle an opposing player.
   2. The process by which additional combatants join an ongoing fight or argument when they think they know who will win so that they will be on the winning side.
   3. The process by which multiple people pick on, complain about or list the faults of their target.
2. (by extension) An ongoing increase in a change or phenomenon, such as the popularity of a fad.
   1. The steady addition of more problems to an already problematic situation or circumstance.
   2. Doing more and more (of something), especially when it is inappropriate or problematic, such as by continuing to break a diet

Related terms

• dogpile

Anagrams

• longipin