Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In archaeology and art, a mortar, especially one notable archæologically on account of its antiquity or design.
  • noun The holy-water font in an Italian church, usually a stone vase of considerable richness.
  • noun A stone horse-trough.
  • noun Plural of pilum.

Etymologies

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Examples

  • While the pila is filling, sprinkle water on the hard-packed dirt floor in the house, simultaneously shooing the chickens outside, and then sweep.

    A day in the life of my mother-in-law by Alex Vinson 2006

  • While the pila is filling, sprinkle water on the hard-packed dirt floor in the house, simultaneously shooing the chickens outside, and then sweep.

    A day in the life of my mother-in-law by Alex Vinson 2006

  • I can tell you one thing, washing clothes on a pila is VERY hard on the clothes.

    Where can I buy a pila in the US 2003

  • Our “washing machine” is called a pila and it holds gallons and gallons of water that are used for more than just washing clothing.

    A Bit of Elbow Grease 2009

  • The faucet empties out into a pila, which is a wash basin consisting of a large tub of water with two slabs of concrete on either side for washing dishes and doing laundry.

    4 Days in The Campo 2008

  • Among the ancients, games with the "pila" were those played with the "pila trigonalis," so called, probably, from the players standing in a triangle, and those with the "follis," which was a larger ball, inflated with air and struck with the hands, or used for a football.

    The Captiva and the Mostellaria Titus Maccius Plautus 1847

  • By La “inusual” pila de baño de Ekateryna Sokolova on March 1, 2010 at 10: 56 am

    Fresh Washbasin by Ekateryna Sokolova 2010

  • The Dengue patrols (from the Health Dept) have stepped it up a notch and instead of believing people who say they don't have a pila in the back yard, (or any standing water) are checking for themselves.

    Dengue A word of caution 2009

  • At the front gate, a second fellow who had ID, was asking the questions about the pila or any standing water.

    Dengue A word of caution 2009

  • Bella y muy personal, la pila de baño diseñada por Ekateryna Sokolova [...]

    Fresh Washbasin by Ekateryna Sokolova 2010

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