accumulate

Everyday

1. To collect or gather more and more of something over time. tree →
2. To grow larger by building up slowly. tree →

In the lessons

In maths, savings accumulate when money is added each week; points accumulate in a game. In science, dust, snow or rubbish accumulates; in geography, sediment accumulates to form rock. Phrases: accumulate points, accumulate wealth, dust accumulates.

Examples

• Snow accumulated on the roof overnight. tree →
• She accumulated 500 points in the game. tree →
• Dust accumulates under the bed. tree →
• If you save £2 a week, you accumulate £20 in ten weeks. tree →
• Rubbish accumulated in the corner of the yard. tree →
• He accumulated a huge collection of stamps. tree →

Note

Noun accumulation; adjective accumulative or cumulative. Spelling: double c, single m. In maths, accumulate means keep adding, so the total grows.