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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

piece       (pēs)  Pronunciation Key  n.   A thing considered as a unit or an element of a larger thing, quantity, or class; a portion: a piece of string. A portion or part that has been separated from a whole: a piece of cake. An object that is one member of a group or class: a piece of furniture. An artistic, musical, or literary work or composition: "They are lively and well-plotted pieces, both in prose" (Tucker Brooke). An instance; a specimen: a piece of sheer folly. A declaration of one's opinions or findings: speak one's piece. A coin: a ten-cent piece. Games One of the counters or figures used in playing various board games. Any one of the chess figures other than a pawn. Slang A firearm, especially a rifle. Informal A given distance: "There was farm country down the road on the right a piece" (James Agee). Vulgar Slang A sexually attractive person. tr.v.   pieced, piec·ing, piec·es To mend by adding pieces or a piece to. To join or unite the pieces of: He pieced together the vase. She pieced together an account of what had gone on during the stormy meeting. [Middle English pece, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *pettia, probably of Celtic origin.]

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
piece 

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

piece
noun
1.	a separate part of a whole; "an important piece of the evidence"
2.	an item that is an instance of some type; "he designed a new piece of equipment"; "she bought a lovely piece of china";
3.	a portion of a natural object; "they analyzed the river into three parts"; "he needed a piece of granite" [syn: part]
4.	a musical work that has been created; "the composition is written in four movements" [syn: musical composition]
5.	an instance of some kind; "it was a nice piece of work"; "he had a bit of good luck"
6.	an artistic or literary composition; "he wrote an interesting piece on Iran"; "the children acted out a comic piece to amuse the guests"
7.	a portable gun; "he wore his firearm in a shoulder holster" [syn: firearm]
8.	a serving that has been cut from a larger portion; "a piece of pie"; "a slice of bread"
9.	a distance; "it is down the road a piece"
10.	a work of art of some artistic value; "this store sells only objets d'art"; "it is not known who created this piece" [syn: objet d'art]
11.	a period of indeterminate length (usually short) marked by some action or condition; "he was here for a little while"; "I need to rest for a piece"; "a spell of good weather"; "a patch of bad weather" [syn: while]
12.	a share of something; "a slice of the company's revenue" [syn: slice]
13.	game equipment consisting of an object used in playing certain board games; "he taught me to set up the men on the chess board"; "he sacrificed a piece to get a strategic advantage" [syn: man]
verb
1.	to join or unite the pieces of; "patch the skirt" [syn: patch]
2.	create by putting components or members together; "She pieced a quilt"; "He tacked together some verses"; "They set up a committee" [syn: assemble] [ant: break apart]
3.	join during spinning; "piece the broken pieces of thread, slivers, and rovings"
4.	eat intermittently; take small bites of; "He pieced at the sandwich all morning"; "She never eats a full meal--she just nibbles" [syn: nibble]
5.	repair by adding pieces; "She pieced the china cup"

American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms - Cite This Source - Share This

piece

In addition to the idioms beginning with piece, also see all in one piece; conversation piece; go to pieces; museum piece; of a piece; pick apart (to pieces); pick up the pieces; puff piece; say one's piece; think piece; thrill to pieces; to pieces; villain of the piece.

Wallstreet Words - Cite This Source - Share This

piece

A part of a large security offering.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Piece

Piece\, n. [OE. pece, F. pi[`e]ce, LL. pecia, petia, petium, probably of Celtic origin; cf. W. peth a thing, a part, portion, a little, Armor. pez, Gael. & Ir. cuid part, share. Cf. Petty.]

1. A fragment or part of anything separated from the whole, in any manner, as by cutting, splitting, breaking, or tearing; a part; a portion; as, a piece of sugar; to break in pieces.

Bring it out piece by piece. --Ezek. xxiv. 6.

2. A definite portion or quantity, as of goods or work; as, a piece of broadcloth; a piece of wall paper.

3. Any one thing conceived of as apart from other things of the same kind; an individual article; a distinct single effort of a series; a definite performance; especially: (a) A literary or artistic composition; as, a piece of poetry, music, or statuary. (b) A musket, gun, or cannon; as, a battery of six pieces; a following piece. (c) A coin; as, a sixpenny piece; -- formerly applied specifically to an English gold coin worth 22 shillings. (d) A fact; an item; as, a piece of news; a piece of knowledge.

4. An individual; -- applied to a person as being of a certain nature or quality; often, but not always, used slightingly or in contempt. "If I had not been a piece of a logician before I came to him." --Sir P. Sidney.

Thy mother was a piece of virtue. --Shak.

His own spirit is as unsettled a piece as there is in all the world. --Coleridge.

5. (Chess) One of the superior men, distinguished from a pawn.

6. A castle; a fortified building. [Obs.] --Spenser.

Of a piece, of the same sort, as if taken from the same whole; like; -- sometimes followed by with. --Dryden.

Piece of eight, the Spanish piaster, formerly divided into eight reals.

To give a piece of one's mind to, to speak plainly, bluntly, or severely to (another). --Thackeray.

Piece broker, one who buys shreds and remnants of cloth to sell again.

Piece goods, goods usually sold by pieces or fixed portions, as shirtings, calicoes, sheetings, and the like.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Piece

Piece\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pieced; p. pr. & vb. n. Piecing.]

1. To make, enlarge, or repair, by the addition of a piece or pieces; to patch; as, to piece a garment; -- often with out. --Shak.

2. To unite; to join; to combine. --Fuller.

His adversaries . . . pieced themselves together in a joint opposition against him. --Fuller.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Piece

Piece\, v. i. To unite by a coalescence of parts; to fit together; to join. "It pieced better." --Bacon.