- piece
- [[t]pi͟ːs[/t]]
♦♦pieces, piecing, pieced1) N-COUNT: usu N of n A piece of something is an amount of it that has been broken off, torn off, or cut off.
...a piece of cake.
...a piece of wood.
...a few words scrawled on a piece of paper...
Cut the ham into pieces...
Do you want another piece?
Syn:2) N-COUNT A piece of an object is one of the individual parts or sections which it is made of, especially a part that can be removed....assembling objects out of standard pieces...
The equipment was taken down the shaft in pieces.
Syn:3) N-COUNT: usu N of n A piece of land is an area of land.People struggle to get the best piece of land.
4) N-COUNT: N of n You can use piece of with many uncount nouns to refer to an individual thing of a particular kind. For example, you can refer to some advice as a piece of advice.When I produced this piece of work, my lecturers were very critical...
It is a highly complex piece of legislation.
...an interesting piece of information.
...a sensitive piece of equipment used to detect radiation.
...a sturdy piece of furniture...
What essential piece of clothing would you take?
Syn:5) N-COUNT You can refer to an article in a newspaper or magazine, some music written by someone, a broadcast, or a play as a piece.I disagree with Andrew Russell over his piece on British Rail.
...a vaguely familiar orchestral piece...
The day after his death there was a piece about him on television.
6) N-COUNT You can refer to a work of art as a piece. [FORMAL]Each piece is unique, an exquisite painting of a real person, done on ivory...
None of the pieces is insured.
7) N-COUNT: supp N You can refer to specific coins as pieces. For example, a 10p piece is a coin that is worth 10p.8) N-COUNT The pieces which you use when you play a board game such as chess are the specially made objects which you move around on the board.9) QUANT: QUANT of def-n A piece of something is part of it or a share of it. [AM]They got a small piece of the net profits and a screen credit.
...the disclosure that Texas Air might sell a piece or all of Continental.
10) → See also , party piece, set piece11) PHRASE: V inflects If you give someone a piece of your mind, you tell them very clearly that you think they have behaved badly. [INFORMAL]How very thoughtless. I'll give him a piece of my mind.
12) PHRASE: v-link PHR, oft PHR with n If something with several different parts is all of a piece, each part is consistent with the others. If one thing is of a piece with another, it is consistent with it.At its peak in the Thirties, Underground design and architecture was all of a piece...
The essays that Parsons completed in the latter part of his life are of a piece with his earlier work.
13) PHRASE: v-link PHR, PHR after v If someone or something is still in one piece after a dangerous journey or experience, they are safe and not damaged or hurt....providing that my brother gets back alive and in one piece from his mission.
Syn:14) PHRASE: V inflects If you say your piece, you say everything you want to say about a particular matter without being interrupted, although people may be wanting to express opposing views.I'll answer your questions when I've said my piece.
15) PHRASE: PHR after v You use to pieces in expressions such as `smash to pieces', and mainly in British English `fall to pieces' or `take something to pieces', when you are describing how something is broken or comes apart so that it is in separate pieces.If the shell had hit the boat, it would have blown it to pieces...
He took it all to pieces, cleaned it inside and out and put it together again...
Do you wear your old clothes until they fall to pieces?.
Syn:to bits16) PHRASE: V inflects If you go to pieces, you are so upset or nervous that you lose control of yourself and cannot do what you should do. [INFORMAL]She's a strong woman, but she nearly went to pieces when Arnie died.
17) PHRASE: V inflects If someone tears you to pieces, pulls your work to pieces, or picks your work to pieces, they criticize you or your work very severely. [INFORMAL]He made numerous errors of fact and was torn to pieces during the subsequent question time...
Every error is captured, every decision picked to pieces.
18) PHRASE: usu v-link PHR (disapproval) If you say that someone is a nasty piece of work, you mean that they are very unkind or unpleasant. [BRIT, INFORMAL]Phrasal Verbs:
English dictionary. 2008.
