[f. L. cumulāt-, ppl. stem of cumulāre to heap, f. cumul-us a heap, the conical crown of a heaped measure.]
1. trans. To gather in a heap; to heap up; to pile up, collect, amass, accumulate. Also fig.
1534. Whitinton, Tullyes Offices, I. (1540), 50. We must use that language … which is knowen to us, leest … we cumulatynge in greke wordes maye of very ryght be laughed to scorne.
1541. Barnes, Wks. (1573), 340/1. Let all these makers of new Gods cumilate themselues togither on a heape.
1612–20. Shelton, Quix., I. IV. vi. 363 (T.). All the extremes of worth and beautie that were cumulated in Camila.
1695. Woodward, Nat. Hist. Earth, VI. (1723), 283. Behold the mighty Sholes of Shells … cumulated in many Places Heap upon Heap.
1850. J. H. Newman, Diffic. Anglic., 29. It is often a mistake in controversy to cumulate reasons [etc.].
b. Legal. To combine (a namber of actions, defences, etc.) into one; cf. CUMULATION 3.
A Civil Law term still used in Louisiana. (Cent. Dict.)
c. intr. To accumulate.
1865. Dickens, Mut. Fr., II. v. As Fledgeby’s affronts cumulated.
2. trans. To add over and above, to combine with something additional.
1640. G. Watts, trans. Bacon’s Adv. Learn., 384–5. Which cumulates the evill of Indignation, to the evill of suspicion.
1868. E. Edwards, Ralegh, I. xxiv. 571. Philip … allowed him to cumulate the councillorship with the corregidorship.
1885. Sat. Rev., 28 Nov., 704. Circumstances … have cumulated the function of investigator with that of instructor or adviser.
3. To put the crown or summit to. Obs. or arch.
1660. Gauden, Brounrig, 30. To wicked men their table is a snare, their prosperity cumulates their misery.
1672. Marvell, Reh. Transp., I. 308. To cumulate all this happiness, they had this new Law against the Fanaticks.
1850. Pusey, Min. Proph., 565. God restores to the penitent all his lost graces … and cumulates them with the fresh grace, whereby He converts him.
† 4. To heap, load, pile with. Obs.
1563–87. Foxe, A. & M. (1684), I. 6/1. Emperours, Kings, and Princes, plucking from their own, did rather cumulate the Church with superfluities.
Hence Cumulating vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1637. Gillespie, Eng.-Pop. Cerem., II. iv. 20. The cumulating of Ceremonies in the auncient Church.
1885. Fraser’s Mag., LI. 5. A cumulating pile of crimes, of negligences and of blunders.
