piece

 
Pronunciation: /piːs/

noun

  • 1a portion of an object or of material, produced by cutting, tearing, or breaking the whole: a piece of cheese the dish lay in pieces on the floor
  • an item used in constructing something: take a car to pieces
  • an item forming part of a set: a piece of luggage
  • a financial share: each employee owns a piece of the company
  • 2a written, musical, or artistic creation: a haunting piece of music
  • 3an instance or example: a crucial piece of evidence
  • 4 [with modifier] a coin of specified value: a 10p piece
  • 5a figure or token used to make moves in a board game: a chess piece
  • Chess a king, queen, bishop, knight, or rook, as opposed to a pawn: indicate which piece or pawn is taken
  • 6 informal, chiefly North American a firearm.
  • 7 informal, offensive a woman.
  • 8Scottish a sandwich or other item of food taken as a snack.

verb

[with object]
  • 1 (piece something together) assemble something from parts or pieces: the dinosaur was pieced together from 119 bones
  • slowly make sense of something from separate pieces of evidence: Daniel had pieced the story together from the radio
  • 2 (piece something out) archaic extend something: his coming and assisting them was like a cordial given to a dying man, which doth piece out his life
  • 3 archaic patch (something): if it be broken it must be pieced

Phrases

a piece of ass (or tail)

vulgar slang a woman regarded as sexually attractive.

a piece of cake

see cake

a piece (or slice) of the action

informal a share in an exciting or profitable enterprise: they’d underwrite the cost of the drilling in return for a piece of the action

come (or fall) to pieces

break into parts or become damaged: it splintered loudly and fell to pieces under his weight

go to pieces

become so upset or nervous that one is unable to function normally: my mother went to pieces after his death

in one piece

unharmed or undamaged, especially after a dangerous experience: don’t worry, I’ll get you there in one piece

(all) of a piece

(entirely) consistent: the art and science of any culture are of a piece

piece by piece

in gradual stages: I intend to approach this problem piece by piece

piece of water

a small lake or pond.

piece of work

informal a person of a specified kind, especially an unpleasant one: he’s a nasty piece of work

say one's piece

give one’s opinion or make a prepared statement: I’ve said my piece, it’s up to you

tear (or pull) someone/thing to pieces

criticize someone or something harshly: theatre critics would tear the production to pieces

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French piece (compare with medieval Latin pecia, petium), of obscure ultimate origin

Spelling rule

i before e except after c (as in thief).