heap

views updated May 14 2018

heap / hēp/ • n. an untidy collection of things piled up haphazardly: she rushed out, leaving her clothes in a heap on the floor. ∎  a mound or pile of a particular substance: a heap of gravel. ∎ inf. an untidy or dilapidated place or vehicle: they climbed back in the heap and headed home. ∎  (a heap of/heaps of) inf. a large amount or number of something: we have heaps of room.• adv. (heaps) inf. a great deal: “How do you like Maggie?” “I like you heaps better!”• v. [tr.] put in a pile or mound: she heaped logs on the fire | heaped up in one corner was a pile of junk. ∎  (heap something with) load something copiously with: he heaped his plate with rice. ∎  (heap something on/upon) bestow praise, abuse, or criticism liberally on: they had once heaped praise on her. ∎  [intr.] form a heap: clouds heaped higher in the west.PHRASES: at the top (or bottom) of the heap (of a person) at the highest (or lowest) point of a society or organization: she had come up the hard way from the very bottom of the heap.be struck all of a heap inf. be extremely disconcerted.heap coals of fire on someone's head go out of one's way to cause someone remorse.in a heap (of a person) with the body completely limp: he landed in a heap at the bottom of the stairs.

heap

views updated May 29 2018

heap
1. An area of storage used for dynamic allocation of data structures where the order of releasing the allocated data structure is indeterminate. Compare stack.

2. A complete binary tree in which the value at each node is at least as large as the values at its children (if they exist). Heaps are used to implement priority queues.

heap

views updated May 14 2018

heap collection of things lying one upon another; †great company OE.; (colloq.) a great deal XVII (earlier pl. XVI). OE. hēap = OS. hōp (Du. hoop), OHG. houg :- WGmc. *χaupa, rel. to MLG. hūpe, OHG. hūfo (G. haufen) :- Gmc. *χūpan-.
Hence as vb. OE. hēapian.

Heap

views updated May 17 2018

Heap

a pile or mass; a collection of things thrown together; a crowd; a large number.

Examples: a heap of castles, 1661; of confessors, 1340; of fowls, 1290; of gravel, 1398; of hard names, 1741; of hounds, 1377; of good ideas; of islands, 1697; of learned men; of old papers and parchments, 1574; of people, 1590; of servants, 1867; of sheep, 1477; of sins; of trouble.

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