Meaning of piece In English

• 0 a part of something:

  • a piece of cloth torn from her coat

  • He cut the cake into six pieces.

  • This jigsaw puzzle has two pieces missing.

  • The vase lay on the floor in pieces (= broken into small parts).

  • She tried to break/tear a small piece off the edge.

  • The building was taken apart and reassembled piece by piece (= one part after another).

• 1 a single object of a particular type:

  • a piece of furniture/clothing/equipment

  • a piece of paper (= a whole sheet)

  • a piece of china (= an object made of china)

  • a piece of information/advice

  • Each piece is quite unique, owing to the fact that all her creations are hand-knitted.

  • an orchestral/piano/instrumental piece

  • a skilful piece of work/research

  • Did you read that piece (= article) in the newspaper?

  • a chess piece

  • Could you swap me two quarters for a 50 cent piece?

• 2 a gun:

  • an artillery piece

  • US slang He was carrying a piece when he was arrested.

• 3 a sandwich:

  • a ham piece

• 4 with the number of pieces mentioned:

  • a five-piece band (= with five players)

• 5 a part of something:

  • a piece of cake/chicken/pizza

  • The vase lay on the floor in pieces (= broken into small parts).

  • She was so mad that she ripped the letter to pieces (= into small parts).

• 6 a single item that is one of other similar items:

  • a piece of furniture/equipment/luggage/paper

  • I have an important piece of information for you.

  • He’s written a new piece of music.

• 7 a single thing of a particular type, especially one of many:

  • a piece of sth A faulty piece of software caused the bank's online facility to shut down for three hours.

  • He produced an excellent piece of work.

  • a piece of data/evidence/information

• 8 a coin that has a value below 100 pence, cents, etc.:

  • a fifty-pence/fifty-cent piece

• 9 to pay for, buy, or sell something in single units rather than in groups:

  • The stitchers are paid a salary rather than by the piece.

  • In those days stores sold candy by the piece for a penny.