WordGarden.iopiece
A1Pronunciation
UK
- /pˈiːs/
US
- /ˈpis/
Meanings
Noun
a separate part, amount, or object
a written work, article, or opinion column
a composition or performed selection of music
More meaningsFewer meanings
a playing token used in a board game such as chess or checkers
(slang)a gun, especially a handgun
Verb
to join together or reconstruct from separate parts or clues
Beyond the definition
A "piece" can mean many things. Most often, it means a part of something larger: a piece of cake, a piece of glass, or a piece of advice. It often suggests something that has been cut, broken off, chosen, or counted from a whole. It can also mean one separate unit, like a chess piece or a piece of music.
Sometimes "piece" means a share in something, as in "I want a piece of the action." It also appears in common expressions such as "a piece of cake" for something easy or "give someone a piece of your mind" when you speak very directly. It's a simple word, but it fits many everyday situations.
The word "piece" is a very flexible noun. At its center, it means a part of a larger whole. You can talk about a piece of cake, a piece of paper, a piece of wood, or a piece of broken glass. In these cases, it refers to something smaller that comes from, or belongs to, something bigger.
It also works as a way to count or name single units. A chess piece is one unit in the game. A piece of music is one song or composition. A piece of furniture is one item in a room. In the same way, English often uses "piece of" before things that are not usually counted one by one, such as a piece of advice, a piece of information, or a piece of equipment.
"Piece" can also mean a share or portion that someone wants, gets, or owns. If someone says they want a piece of the action, they want to be involved and benefit from what is happening. If they want a piece of the pie, they want a share of success, money, or opportunity.
The word appears in many common expressions. "A piece of cake" means something is very easy. To "give someone a piece of your mind" means to tell them angrily what you think. To "fall to pieces" means to lose emotional control or stop functioning calmly. In all of these uses, the idea of a smaller part, a separate unit, or a personal share is still there in the background.
So when you hear "piece," think of something smaller taken from a whole, one item in a group, or a share of something larger. That simple idea helps explain most of the ways the word is used in everyday English.
Examples
- 1
Cake portions
She cut the cake into eight small pieces.
- 2
Paper
Can I have a clean piece of paper?
- 3
Advice
He gave me one useful piece of advice before the interview.
- 4
Furniture
We bought a few new pieces of furniture for the apartment.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Music work
The violinist played a short piece by Bach.
- 6
Article
I read an interesting piece about city life in Tokyo.
- 7
Evidence
The police found an important piece of evidence near the door.
- 8
Missing clue
The final piece of the puzzle was a phone call from his brother.
- Phrasepiece of the puzzle
one fact or part that helps explain everything
- 9
Gradual process
We packed the old desk piece by piece.
- Phrasepiece by piece
one part at a time
- 10
Safe return
The climbers were tired, but they got back in one piece.
- Phrasein one piece
safe and not badly hurt
- 11
Easy task
The test was a piece of cake.
- Phrasea piece of cake
very easy
- 12
Reconstructing events
Detectives slowly pieced together what had happened that night.
- Patternpiece together + information
understand it by connecting small bits
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- piecenounverb
Forms
- piecespluralnounverb
- piecedpast tenseverbnoun
- piecing-ing formverbnoun