📒 an amount of something that has been cut or separated from the rest of it; a standard amount of something
- piece of something She wrote something on a small piece of paper.
- a piece of wood/metal
- a large piece of land
📒 one of the bits or parts that something breaks into
- piece of something There were tiny pieces of glass all over the road.
- to pieces The boat had been smashed to pieces on the rocks.
- The building was blown to pieces.
📒 one of the parts that something is made of
- to pieces He took the clock to pieces.
- piece of something a missing piece of the puzzle
- The bridge was taken down piece by piece.
📒 a single item of a particular type, especially one that forms part of a set
- a piece of equipment/furniture
- a piece of clothing/luggage
- a piece of machinery
📒 used with many uncountable nouns to describe a single example or an amount of something
- a piece of information/evidence/advice/news/legislation
- a piece of software
- This is a superb piece of work.
📒 a single item of writing, art, music, etc. that somebody has produced or created; a short item of writing from a longer work
- piece of something a piece of music/art
- a fine piece of writing
- They performed pieces by Bach and Handel.
📒 an article in a newspaper or magazine or a broadcast on television or radio
- The Washington Post ran a series of opinion pieces criticizing the policy.
- piece about/on something Did you see her piece about the internet in the paper today?
- a short piece by Will Simons on television satire
📒 a coin of the value mentioned
- a 50p piece
- a five-cent piece
📒 one of the small figures or objects that you move around in games such as chess
📒 a part or share of something
- companies seeking a piece of the market
📒 a gun
📒 a short distance
- She lives down the road a piece from here.
📒 small objects or items of various kinds
- She stuffed all her bits and pieces into a bag and left.
- I just need to get a few bits and pieces at the supermarket.
📒 to use bombs or other weapons to destroy somebody/something completely
- The plane was blown to pieces when the bomb exploded.
📒 to become very old and in bad condition because of long use
- Our car is falling to pieces, we've had it so long.
- My old dictionary is falling to pieces.
📒 to stop working; to be destroyed
- He's worried the business will fall to pieces without him.
📒 to tell somebody that you think their behaviour is bad or are angry with them
📒 to be so upset or afraid that you cannot manage to live or work normally
- After his wife died he just went to pieces.
📒 used to say that there is no definite answer to a question
- ‘How long will it take?’ ‘How long's a piece of string?’
📒 safe; not damaged or hurt, especially after a journey or dangerous experience
- They were lucky to get home in one piece.
📒 a person who is unpleasant, unkind or dishonest
- Don’t trust him; he’s a nasty piece of work.
- He's a thoroughly nasty piece of work.
📒 all the same or similar
- The houses are all of a piece.
📒 all at the same time
- The house was built all of a piece in 1754.
📒 to criticize somebody, or their work or ideas, very severely
📒 to return or to help somebody return to a normal situation, particularly after a shock or a disaster
- You cannot live your children's lives for them; you can only be there to pick up the pieces when things go wrong.
📒 a thing that is very easy to do
📒 a share of the available money or benefits that you believe you have a right to
- The company is demanding a larger slice of the corporate pie.
📒 a thing that is very easy to do
📒 used to express the fact that you admire somebody or find them funny, often when they have done something that surprises you
- You're some piece of work, Jack, do you know that?
📒 a share or role in an interesting or exciting activity, especially one that makes money
- Foreign firms will all want a piece of the action if the new airport goes ahead.
📒 to say exactly what you feel or think
📒 the person or thing that is responsible for all the trouble in a situation
- It’s hard to identify the real villain of the piece in this case.