1. vt.积累；积聚　gradually get more and more of sth over a period of time
2. vi.累积；聚积　gradually increase in number or quality over a period of time

　～ a fortune　积蓄一笔财产
　～ a library　集成书库
　～ a thick layer of dust　积了厚厚的一层灰
　～ books　收藏书籍
　～ earth and stones　堆积泥土和石块
　～ evidence　收集证据
　～ experience　积累经验
　～ funds for　为…积累资金
　～ knowledge　积累知识
　～ materials for a novel　积累写小说的素材
　～ strength　积蓄力量
　～ wealth　积聚财富
　～ wisdom　积聚智慧
　～ patiently　耐心积累
　～ quickly　很快积累
　～ rapidly　迅速积累
　～ slowly　慢慢积累

　Rubbish accumulates quickly if you don't clear it regularly.　不定期打扫，就会很快积满垃圾。
　Dust soon accumulates if the rooms are not swept.　房间如不打扫，很快灰尘就会堆积起来。
　A thick layer of dust had accumulated in the room.　房间里已经堆积起了厚厚的一层灰尘。
　Dust accumulated in the empty house.　那栋空房里积满了灰尘。
　Dust and cobwebs had accumulated in the house while she was gone.　她不在家期间，屋子里到处是灰尘，墙上挂满了蜘蛛网。
　Snow accumulated on the ground.　地上积了一层雪。
　If you don't sort out the papers on your desk on a regular basis they just keep on accumulating.　如果你不定期整理你桌上的文件的话，它们就会越积越多。
　Leaves will accumulate on your lawn if you do not rake them.　如果你不清扫，落叶很快就会堆满你的草坪。
　Martin had no money for stamps, so the manuscripts accumulated in a heap under the table.　马丁没有钱买邮票，因此稿子在桌子下积成了一堆。
　A pile of work accumulated on his desk.　他桌子上压了一大堆活儿。
　Difficulties accumulated round his path.　他前进的道路上困难成堆。
　His debts accumulated.　他债台高筑。
　Debts began to accumulate.　债务开始增加。
　Little by little his savings accumulated.　他的储蓄一点一点地多起来。
　Silence accumulated for a while.　冷场维持了好一会儿。
　However, as the evidence began to accumulate, experts from the Zoo felt obliged to investigate.　然而，当证据日趋增多时，动物园的专家们感到有必要进行调查了。
　Where wealth accumulates, and men decay.　哪里物欲横流，哪里的人们就腐败。
　Snow accumulated to a depth of five feet.　雪堆积达五尺深。
　Events were rapidly rolling together from every quarter, and accumulating to a crisis.　一起起事件从四面八方纷至沓来，汇集而成危机。
　Unused books accumulated dust.　书不使用就会积满灰尘。
　I've accumulated quite a lot of rare books over the years.　多年来，我积攒了大量的珍藏本。
　He gradually accumulated an impressive collection of paintings.　他逐渐积聚起一批可观的绘画收藏品。
　They accumulated a large amount of river mud for fertilizer.　他们堆积了大量河泥用作肥料。
　We've accumulated so much rubbish over the years.　这些年来我们已经积起了这么多垃圾。
　As people accumulate more wealth, they tend to spend a greater proportion of their incomes.　当人们积累了更多财富时，往往会将更多的收入用于消费。
　He accumulated a fortune by buying and selling used cars.　他买卖旧汽车积累了一笔财富。
　By investing wisely she accumulated a fortune.　她投资精明，积累了一笔财富。
　By working hard you may accumulate a fortune.　努力工作你就可以积蓄一笔财产。
　My uncle and aunt accumulated a fortune by saving their money.　我舅舅和舅妈靠储蓄累积了一笔财富。
　He accumulated a fortune in the course of years.　他在几年期间积累了一笔财富。
　We must accumulate funds for construction.　我们要为建设积累资金。
　They set to work accumulating a huge mass of data.　他们已开始积累大量的资料。
　He accumulated invaluable experience in the work of foreign affairs.　他积累了宝贵的外事工作经验。
　Profound knowledge is accumulated little by little.　渊博的知识是逐渐积累起来的。
　The company said the debt was accumulated during its acquisition of nine individual businesses.　公司说在兼并9家个体企业期间债务越来越多。

 ♣ accumulate, amass, heap, pile
　这四个词都有“堆积”或“积累”的意思，表示“积累财富”的意思时， heap up和amass可互换。其区别是：
1. 从堆积的高度来看， heap要比pile高。
2. 从积累的速度和数量上看， amass比accumulate更迅速、更多。
3. 从使用范围来看， accumulate比其他三词要广，既可用于具体意义，也可用于抽象意义，可以说“积水，积血”，也可以说“积累财富、利息、知识、悲哀、困难、恩德、罪恶、弊病等”; heap也可用于具体意义和抽象意义；amass主要用于抽象意义，如“积聚金钱、资源、知识等”; pile主要用于具体意义，常用于堆积同类的东西，尤其是扁平的东西。

　［派生词］ accumulation n.积聚；累积‖accumulative adj.积聚的；累积的
　［同义词］ aggregate, assemble, collect, congregate, cumulate, gather, grow, pile up, save up, store up, increase, multiply
　［反义词］ diffuse, distribute, scatter, waste
　［词源］拉丁语accumulare（积聚）