pile-up

pile-up
ˈpile-up noun [countable]
a traffic accident involving many vehicles:
    a motorway pile-up
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ accident an event in which a vehicle is damaged and often someone is hurt: Her father died in a car accident. | Hugh had an accident on his way to work.
   ▪ crash a serious accident in which a vehicle hits something else: Rees-Jones was the only person to survive the crash. | a car/plane/train crash | He was killed in a plane crash.
   ▪ collision an accident in which two or more cars, trains etc hit each other: His car was involved in a collision with a train. | a head-on collision (=between vehicles that are driving towards each other): The actor was killed in a head-on collision while driving his new sports car.
   ▪ disaster a serious accident involving a train, plane, or boat, in which a lot of people are killed or injured: It was Britain’s worst air disaster.
   ▪ wreck American English an accident in which a car or train is badly damaged: Ben nearly died in a car wreck.
   ▪ pile-up an accident that involves several cars or trucks: The pile-up happened in thick fog. | There was a 12-car pile-up on the motorway.
   ▪ fender-bender American English informal, prang British English informal a car accident in which little damage is done: Atkinson was involved in a fender-bender in the hotel parking lot. | At 15, he borrowed his parents’ car and had a prang.

pile-upBrE /ˈpaɪl ʌp/ 🔊NAmE /ˈpaɪl ʌp/ 🔊 nouna road accident involving several vehicles crashing into each other 连环车祸；连续撞车◆Three people died in a multiple pile-up in freezing fog. 有三人死于冻雾引起的连环车祸中。🔊🔊