bank up
To pile things up into a mound; to put lots of fuel on a fire so it burns slowly through the night.
Meanings
To cover a fire with a large amount of fuel so that it burns slowly and stays alight for a long time.
"She banked up the fire before going to bed so the house would stay warm."
To pile or heap something up into a mound or ridge.
"The wind had banked the snow up against the garden wall overnight."
To accumulate or build up over time.
"Storm clouds had been banking up on the horizon all afternoon."
Common in British English for banking up a fire overnight. Also used for natural accumulation of snow, earth, or clouds. Less common in everyday speech than 'pile up'.
Commonly used with
Forms
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