acervus ī, m a mass of similar objects, pile, heap: acervus ex sui generis granis: scutorum, V.: aeris et auri, H.: morientum, O.: magnum alterius frustra spectabis acervum, your neighbor's abundant crop, V.

—Fig., a multitude, mass, great number, quantity: cerno insepultos acervos civium: facinorum, scelerum.

— Poet.: caedis acervi, V.

— Absol: ingentīs spectare acervos, enormous wealth, H.: quid habet pulchri constructus acervus, accumulated hoard, H.: quae pars quadret acervum, completes the fortune, H.

— Esp., in dialectics, t. t., a seeming argument by gradual approximation: elusus ratione ruentis acervi, defeated by the argument of the vanishing heap, i. e. a sorites, H.