piece Hear it!

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piece definition

piece (pēs)

noun

  1. a part or fragment broken or separated from the whole
  2. a section, division, or quantity regarded as complete in itself and distinct from the whole of which it is a part
  3. any single thing, amount, specimen, example, etc.; specif.,
    1. an artistic work or composition, as of music, writing, painting, drama, etc.
    2. an article in a magazine, newspaper, etc.
    3. an action or its result a piece of nonsense, business, etc.
    4. a small firearm, as a pistol or rifle
    5. a coin or token a fifty-cent piece
    6. one of a set or class, as of silver, china, furniture, etc.
    7. a counter or man, as used in various games; specif., in chess, a chessman other than a pawn
  4. the quantity or size, as of cloth or wallpaper, that is manufactured as a unit
  5. an amount or unit of work constituting a single job
  6. Now Chiefly Dial. an indefinite distance or duration; often, specif., a rather short one
  7. Now Chiefly Dial. a person; individual
  8. Slang a financial interest; share
  9. Slang: often regarded as vulgar
    also Slangpiece of ass
    1. a woman regarded as a sexual partner
    2. an instance of sexual intercourse

Etymology: ME pece < OFr < ML *pettia < Celt *pett- > Welsh peth, part, Bret pez, piece

transitive verb pieced, piecing piec′·ing

  1. to add a piece or pieces to, as in repairing or enlarging to piece a pair of trousers
  2. to join or unite

intransitive verb

Informal, Dialectal to eat a snack between meals

Related Forms:

piece Idioms

go to pieces

  1. to break into pieces; fall apart
  2. to lose all self-control, morally or emotionally

of a piece

or of one piece
of the same sort; alike; consistent (with)

piece together

to join the pieces of, as in mending

speak one's piece

to vent one's views or opinions

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:
piece Synonyms

piece

n.

  1. Part

    portion, share, section, bit, slice, division, part, item, lump, hunk, scrap, interest, lot, cut, allotment, end, remnant, quota, percentage, dole; see also part 1.

  2. Work of art

    study, composition, creation; see art 2.

  3. Musical, literary, or theatrical composition

    suite, orchestration, production, opus, song, aria, harmonization, study, arrangement, treatise, exposition, sketch, play, novel, thesis, dissertation, discourse, discussion, treatment, essay, causerie, article, paper, memoir, descant, homily, poem, theme, monograph, commentary, review, paragraph, criticism, play, drama, melodrama, pageant, monologue, opera, ballet; see also composition 2, 4.

  4. Theatrical role

    part, lines, bit*; see part 3.

go to pieces
  1. come apart, fall apart, break up, fail; see break down 3.

  2. *quit, collapse, lose control;

speak one's piece

air one's opinions, talk, reveal; see tell 1. See syn. study at part.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

piece Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • write: Why not write a piece to display here using the form below!

Adjective modifier

  • small: A small piece of clay roof tile was also found.

Modifies a noun

  • suite: The spacious twin bedded room has color TV, wash hand basin, beverage tray and 3 piece suite.

Noun used with modifier

  • chess: The computer had been programmed to move its chess pieces by producing a low-level electric current.

Preposition: in

  • jigsaw: Each new land was a new piece in the jigsaw, an insight into the sheer variety this planet offers its visiting souls.

Preposition: of

  • legislation: A number of these pieces of legislation are also now outdated.
piece usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

piece quotes

If everything is caused by innumerable'factors,'then we had best be very careful in any practical actions we undertake. We must deal with many details, and so it is advisable to proceed to reform this little piece and see what happens, before we reform that little piece too. 574

-Mills, C(harles) Wright

Before I compose a piece, I walk round it several times, accompanied by myself.

-Satie, Erik Alfred Leslie

When a piece gets difficult make faces.

-Schnabel, Artur

piece quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"piece." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/piece>

APA Style

piece. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/piece

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