pyramid

plural pyramids · alternative obsolete piramis · alternative obsolete pyramis

1. countableuncountableAn ancient massive construction with a square or rectangular base and four triangular sides meeting in an apex, such as those built as tombs in Egypt or as bases for temples in Mesoamerica.
2. countableuncountableA construction in the shape of a pyramid, usually with a square or rectangular base.

   [T]he owners of Doddington Hall, in Lincolnshire, have brought the folly into the 21st century, by building a 30ft pyramid in the grounds of the Elizabethan manor.

   2014 September 7, “Doddington's garden pyramid is a folly good show: The owners of a Lincolnshire stately home have brought the folly into the 21st century, by building a 30ft pyramid [print edition: Great pyramid of Lincolnshire, 6 September 2014, p. G2]”, in The Daily Telegraph, London

3. countableuncountablegeometryA solid with triangular lateral faces and a polygonal (often square or rectangular) base.
4. broadlycountableuncountableAny structure or diagram with many members at the bottom and progressively fewer towards the top.

   The company was organized as a pyramid, with a CEO in charge of four directors, each heading up a department.

   3 more examples

   They sit looking at the empty plate that had held a pyramid of sesame cakes. They have eaten them all.

   1960, John Updike, 'Rabbit, Run', page 63

   A telephone pyramid is now being formed to fill this need. Once a representative group of community people decide a crisis exists […] a list of people will be called, who in turn will call a small number of others from a list already in their possession. This process continues untill as much of the community as possible has been notified. The numbers will be kept in strict confidence, with no one other than the organizers having the entire list. Individual callers will only have a few names and numbers.

   1973 August 18, “Gay [drawing of a pyramid (sense 1)]”, in Gay Community News, volume 1, number 9, page 1

   From there he headed down the leagues, but his love of the game trumped any pride about where he 'ought' to be playing as he racked up more than 1,000 games across the full length of the English pyramid.

   (Can we date this quote?), Flora Snelson, “Cureton, 50, scores in 10th tier to 'complete football'”, in BBC

5. countableuncountableanatomyA medullary pyramid, the medial-most bumps on the ventral side of the medulla oblongata
6. UKcountabledateduncountableThe game of pool in which the balls are placed in the form of a triangle at spot.
7. countableuncountableA pyramid scheme.
8. uncountablecard gamesAlternative letter-case form of Pyramid. (a solitaire card game)
9. countableuncountablecard gamesThe triangular layout of cards in the game of Pyramid.

   Build your pyramid with all cards face down, except the cards in the bottom row.

10. countableuncountablejournalismAn approximately triangular headline consisting of several centered lines of text of increasing length.

    […] with a cross-line banner, a set of two-column pyramids beneath it in the middle, and on each side of these exactly the same thing,—something between a headline and a story—"$50,000 Reward for—" etc.

    1924, Helen Ogden Mahin, The Development and Significance of the Newspaper Headline

present singular third person pyramids · participle present pyramiding · participle past pyramided · past pyramided · alternative obsolete piramis · alternative obsolete pyramis

1. To build up or be arranged in the form of a pyramid.

   The paint was stacked in neatly pyramided lots along the concrete floor.

   1952, Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man, Penguin Books (2014), page 198

   1 more example

   Once there was an enormous jukebox; the then-Harlettes (her three-woman back-up vocalists/dancers/mimes) pyramided to drop a huge coin, and around the bend of the big record would spin the diva.

   1983 April 9, Walta Borawski, “Midler in Boston”, in Gay Community News, page 12

2. transitivebiologyTo combine (a series of genes) into a single genotype.
3. intransitiveTo employ, or take part in, a pyramid scheme.
4. businessTo engage in pyramid trading.

   Multiply this by the number of shares you traded, and add other positions if you pyramided.

   2002, Alexander Elder, Come Into My Trading Room: A Complete Guide to Trading, page 152

5. datedTo increase to or towards a peak.

alternative pyramid

1. card gamesA solitaire card game where the cards are arranged as a triangle (a "pyramid") and the object is to get the cards from the bottom to the top.