heap n.1
1. a large amount, often of money.
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | Roaring Girle V i: Shall we venture to shuffle in amongst yon heap of gallants, and strike? | |
| English-Men For My Money E4: Well said old honest huddles; here’s a heape Of merrie Lasses. | |
| Worthies (1840) III 53: No county in England hath such a heap of castles together. | |
| Conduct of Receivers and Thief-Takers 12: What are all that heap of Boys at that Table. | |
| Bilker Bilk’d 10: Thou hast got a damn’d strong memory, sure, to retain such a Heap of Lies. | |
| Sir Charles Grandison (1812) I 122: But surely, in such a heap of stuff as I have written, there is something that I can read to them. | |
| ‘Odes to Ins and Outs’ Works (1801) V 296: Pill grew the subject of the village tattle: At last it gain’d a heap of fame. | |
| Riches I iii: He is a merchant, sir, / Who would increase his heap. | |
| Larks of Logic, Tom and Jerry III v: Here’s a fine heap of ’em coming for an answer. | |
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | Nick of the Woods II 101: A hoss can do a mortal heap better. | |
| Stray Subjects (1848) 112: Wul, thar was a heap o’ steam on her. | |
| Autobiog. of a Female Slave 53: Masser Jones he swar a mighty heap. | |
| (con. 1840s–50s) London Labour and London Poor III 183/2: I used to earn a heap of money, as much as 10s. every day. | |
| Hoosier School-Master (1892) 73: He got a heap o’ money, or, what’s the same thing mostly, a heap o’ good land. | |
| Bristol Magpie 27 July 18/2: ‘Intelligent? [...] he [i.e. a dog] knows a heap, sir’. | |
| Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 17 Nov. 6/1: I didn’t want to get her into a heap of trouble. | |
![[Aus]](/static/img/flags/aus.png "Australia") | Bulletin (Sydney) 5 Sept. 5/2: Shakey, take a fader’s plessing, / Take it, for you ket it sheap, / Go in hot for making money, / Go in for to make a heap. [...] Don’ you lend your gash to no one, / Not for less dan ten per cent. | |
| ‘Private Learoyd’s Story’ in Soldiers Three (1907) 21: I telled t’awd lass a heap more about Rip. | |
| [perf. Vesta Tilley] The Piccadilly Johnny with the little glass eye 🎵 He’s just come into heaps of coin, he doesn’t know what he’s worth. | |
| Chimmie Fadden 48: De Duchesse she does a heap of tinking. | |
| Boy’s Own Paper 12 Jan. 230: We made a heap of fun of the new ‘Bees’. [Ibid.] 19 Jan. 247: Worth a lot more than one of those knighthoods that men get simply for making a heap of money. [Ibid.] 13 July 642: It’s heaps better for one to starve than three. | |
| Sun. Times (Perth) 17 Jan. 2/2: He steeers more than an occasional winner and is making heaps better money than he could in Westralia. | |
![[NZ]](/static/img/flags/nz.png "New Zealand") | Truth (Wellington) 6 Apr. 6: Quite a heap of people have been on the razzle in Christchurch. | |
| Eve. Star (Wash., DC) 18 Oct. 57/3: Different now, gang; oh, lots and heaps different! | |
| Harvester 374: I don’t make no bones of the fact that he’s a heap more of a man. | |
| Fourth Form Friendship 13: ‘I’m sure I do heaps of things for you; I was playing cricket with you all morning’. | |
 | ‘Pool and Genuwine’ in Polished Ebony 56: ‘You go lose yo’ money an’ make a set f’r Sally Crouch ’cause she’s got a heap’. | |
| Living (1978) 292: There’s been a heap of trouble in the iron foundry over that job. | |
| Capricornia (1939) 182: I reckon he must like you a heap of a lot. | |
| Otterbury Incident 45: There was a fair heap of them. | |
| Young Wolves 80: Thanks a heap, sis. | |
| (con. 1930s) Lawd Today 198: Now youall get ready to eat a heap tonight. | |
| in Living Black 187: She had a heap of grandchildren. | |
| Christine 166: You in a heap o trouble. | |
| Doing Time 169: A lot of guys in here are doing heaps of years and they’ve never been given a chance. | |
| Chopper From The Inside 53: Victoria may be the garden state but if you dug it up, you would find a heap of bodies. | |
| Peace 14: ‘Thanks heaps for brigning Kip home’. | |
| Westsiders 252: I’m in a heap of trouble. | |
| Thrill City [ebook] Did I have any enemies? Heaps. |
2. a bill, a debt .
| Swell’s Night Guide 77: He [...] scarpered from the crib, and put Bet in the hole for the heap [...] and left her a dead stunner to muck the pad, and tip for the lumber. |
In phrases
1. (Aus.) to commit oneself fully.
| (con. 1959) Up the Cross 45: He [...] was giving her heaps when her old man showed up. | |
| You Wouldn’t Be Dead for Quids (1989) 15: Les was circling a heavy punching bag [...] and giving it absolutely heaps. |
2. (Aus.) to criticize aggressively.
| Age (Melbourne) 12 June 246/1: It’s good to hear a Kiwi on a Kiwi radio station giving the Aussies heaps. |