To accumulate stroke on stroke, effort on effort.
1839. Well, I don’t go much to theatricals, that’s a fact; but I do think he piled the agony up a little too high in that last scene.—Marryat, ‘Diary in America,’ ii. 235. (N.E.D.) (Italics in the original.)
1844. It was thought by some that he “piled the agony” on a little too hard, and rolling and writhing about upon the ground, was decidedly “not the thing.”—Watmough, ‘Scribblings and Sketches,’ p. 178 (Phila.).
1846. When he gin me the fust lick it made me sorter mad, but I woodn’t a minded ef he hadn’t kept pilin on the agony ’bout my eyes and smeller.—W. T. Porter, ed., ‘A Quarter Race in Kentucky,’ etc., p. 45.
1852. If you have any more agony to pile on him, put it on.—Knick. Mag., xl. 339 (Oct.).
1854. “I think he loves you.” “Yes, but he didn’t pile up the agony high enough.”—Weekly Oregonian, Sept. 23.
1856. Not being one of your ’cute sort, I have n’t piled the agony on as I might have done.—Knick Mag., xlviii. 621 (Dec.).
1857. Three raving, lying, free-negro journals, is piling up the agony a little too steep.—Oregon Weekly Times, Nov. 14.
1860. It seems to me that gentlemen are rather disposed to pile up the agony on us.—Mr. Brown of Mississippi, U.S. Senate, June 18: Cong. Globe, p. 3109.
