ˈpile-ˌdriver
1. a. A machine for driving piles (pile n.1 3) into the ground, usually consisting of a heavy block of iron, suspended in a frame between two vertical guide-posts, and alternately let fall upon the pile-head, and raised by steam, manual, or other power; some, working with steam, act on the principle of the steam-hammer.
| 1772 Hutton Bridges 99 Pile Driver, an engine for driving down the piles. 1862 Smiles Engineers III. 412 In the case of the steam pile-driver..the whole weight of a heavy mass is delivered rapidly upon a driving-block of several tons weight placed directly over the head of the pile. 1879 Cassell's Techn. Educ. ii. 80 A pile-driver consists of vertical guide-bars, between which a weight called the ‘monkey’ is drawn up..and is suddenly released. |
b. A man who drives piles into the ground.
| 1882 in Ogilvie (Annandale) |
2. transf. A very strong or powerful hit, stroke, kick, etc., in various games; something of great strength or power.
| 1858 A. Mayhew Paved with Gold ii. xii. 189 After some sparring, Jack threw out his ‘pile-drivers’ and caught Ned on the ‘sniffer’, but the nose didn't suffer much. 1929 Star 21 Aug. 17/1 Hammond was let off when 59 from a pile-driver to third man. 1929 Daily Express 7 Nov. 19/1 Their inside right put in a couple of pile-drivers that missed the target by inches only. 1952 M. Allingham Tiger in Smoke i. 18 His piledriver personality forced home the suggestion. 1962 [see back-breaker s.v. back- B]. 1964 Guardian 2 Mar. 7/6 He's using pile-drivers (dropping on the head). 1968 R. West Sk. Vietnam ii. 60 ‘The noise of these pile-drivers,’ he said with great satisfaction, ‘was heard as far as Saigon.’ 1973 Sunday Tel. 4 Mar. 38/8 Jones picked up a loose clearance from Feltwell, and her pile-driver took the paint off the post. 1973 D. Lees Rape of Quiet Town vi. 93 The big boys were dishing out pile-drivers and body-slams, cracking heads and snapping spines. |