1 C1 neutral
To use a baling machine or manual effort to compress material into a tight bundle tied with wire or twine.
"The farmers spent the afternoon baling up the hay before the rain arrived."
separable
bale up
C1 neutral separable transitive
To compress and tie material such as hay, cotton, or waste into a compact bale using a machine or by hand.
In plain English
To press something like hay or paper into a big, tight block and tie it up.
What does "bale up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 neutral
To compact and bind waste materials such as cardboard or paper for recycling or transport.
"The recycling centre bales up all cardboard before sending it to the plant."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To form something into a bale — transparent in meaning.
Actually means
To press something like hay or paper into a big, tight block and tie it up.
Usage tip
Predominantly used in agriculture, recycling, and textile industries. The result is called a 'bale.' Most common in farming communities.
Words that pair with "bale up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
hay straw cotton paper wool waste
How to conjugate "bale up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
bale up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
bales up
he/she/it
Past simple
baled up
yesterday
Past participle
baled up
have + pp
-ing form
baling up
continuous
Hear "bale up" in the wild
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Other ways to say "bale up"
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