From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishaccumulateac‧cu‧mu‧late /əˈkjuːmjəleɪt/ ●○○ AWL verb 1 [transitive]GET to gradually get more and more money, possessions, knowledge etc over a period of time It is unjust that a privileged few should continue to accumulate wealth.► see thesaurus at collect2 [intransitive]INCREASE IN NUMBER OR AMOUNT to gradually increase in numbers or amount until there is a large quantity in one place Fat tends to accumulate around the hips and thighs. —accumulation /əˌkjuːmjəˈleɪʃən/ noun [countable, uncountable] the accumulation of dataRegisterIn everyday English, people usually say build up rather than accumulate:These chemicals tend to build up in the soil.→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
accumulate• Martin had accumulated $80,000 in debt.• An army of 1650 plows and 2000 workers will be out this afternoon as snow begins to accumulate.• Within eight years he had fully repaid his creditors and accumulated a greater fortune than ever before.• Supplies enough for surviving at least thirty days have to be accumulated and transported.• Sand had accumulated at the mouth of the river and formed a bank which boats could not pass.• In New York City, 1 to 3 inches of snow is expected to accumulate before changing to freezing rain tonight.• By the late 1950s scientists had already accumulated enough evidence to show a clear link between smoking and cancer.• First the carbon dioxide is filtered and allowed to accumulate in a container.• The remaining oxygen atoms simply accumulate in the atmosphere.• Over a period of years, the drug will accumulate in the body and damage the nervous system.• Watkins said he has accumulated more than $100,000 in legal bills.• Huge snowdrifts had accumulated on the airport's runways.• With the fury that had accumulated over the years I pulled up some onions and flung them at him.• I just don't know how we've managed to accumulate so much junk!From Longman Business Dictionaryaccumulateac‧cu‧mu‧late /əˈkjuːmjəleɪt/ verb1[transitive] to get, earn, or obtain something gradually over a period of timeHe had accumulated $20,000 in interest.A lot of companies have accumulated significant debts.2[intransitive] to increase or develop gradually over a period of timethe funds that had accumulated in their accountsThe arrears have been accumulating since last year. —accumulated adjective [only before a noun]The firm now has $300,000 of accumulated debt.→ See Verb tableOrigin accumulate (1400-1500) Latin past participle of accumulare, from ad- “to” + cumulare “to pile up” 