a large supply of goods, weapons etc that are being kept for use in the future, often because they will be difficult to obtain later:
• Following poor harvests, stockpiles of grain are expected to fall to their tightest level for 20 years.
to keep adding to a large supply of goods, weapons etc that are being kept for use or possible use in the future:
• The US government began stockpiling oil in response to the oil embargo.
— stockpiler noun [countable] :
• We have yet to see one of the big stockpilers of gold announce significant disposals.
— stockpiling noun [uncountable] :
• the stockpiling of chemical and biological weapons
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Ⅰ.
stockpile UK US /ˈstɒkpaɪl/ verb [T]
► to collect a large amount of something to use later: »
Fears that shoppers would stockpile cash have so far proved unfounded.
»The government has stockpiled food in warehouses as a buffer against economic crises.
Ⅱ.
stockpile UK US /ˈstɒkpaɪl/ noun [C]
► a large amount of something that has been collected to use later: »
Stockpiles of grain are unusually low.
»Companies are beginning to see the benefits of a cash stockpile.
»a crude oil/corn/wheat stockpile
Financial and business terms. 2012.