piece
A1/A2 (Very High Frequency)All registers (formal, informal, technical, literary).
Definition
Meaning
A separate, distinct part or portion of a whole; a single item among others of the same kind.
A work of art, music, or writing; a coin of specified value; a firearm; to assemble or mend something from parts.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word is inherently countable and can refer to both physical objects and abstract concepts (e.g., a piece of advice). Its meaning is highly dependent on the collocating noun (e.g., piece of cake vs. piece of artillery).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Primarily in specific phrases. 'Bits and pieces' (BrE) vs. 'odds and ends' (AmE) for miscellaneous items. In art/music contexts, 'piece' is equally used. The verb 'piece together' is used in both.
Connotations
Largely identical. In slang, 'piece' can refer to a firearm (both) or, vulgarly, to a person (primarily AmE).
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[NP] + piece + of + [NP] (a piece of cake)piece + [NP] + together (piece the clues together)[NP] + go to pieces (He went to pieces under pressure.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a piece of cake”
- “go to pieces”
- “say one's piece”
- “all in one piece”
- “a nasty piece of work”
- “give someone a piece of one's mind”
- “piece of the action”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to a component, a share, or a unit of work ('a piece of the market', 'paid by the piece').
Academic
Used for a scholarly article, a composition, or a fragment of evidence ('a seminal piece of research').
Everyday
Ubiquitous for parts of items, food, advice, news ('a piece of pie', 'a piece of advice').
Technical
In computing, a segment of data; in manufacturing, a single item from production; in chess, a man.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She carefully pieced the shattered vase back together.
- Detectives pieced the sequence of events from witness statements.
American English
- He pieced a quilt from his old t-shirts.
- Researchers pieced the data together to form a coherent theory.
adverb
British English
- This model kit goes together piece by piece.
- The report was written piecemeal over several months.
American English
- We'll tackle the project piece by piece.
- Funding was approved piecemeal, causing delays.
adjective
British English
- The exhibition featured several piece-dyed textiles.
- It was a piece-rate job, paid per item completed.
American English
- She bought a one-piece swimsuit for the vacation.
- He works in piecework, assembling components at home.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Can I have a piece of bread, please?
- The jigsaw puzzle has 500 pieces.
- She wrote a piece for the school newspaper.
- It was a difficult piece of music to play.
- The journalist contributed a piece on local politics.
- My bicycle is in pieces in the garage.
- The evidence was pieced together from multiple sources.
- He's a complex individual, a real piece of work.
- Her latest piece explores themes of identity and loss.
- The legislation was a key piece of the government's reform agenda.
- Deconstructing the argument piece by piece, she revealed its flaws.
- The artist's magnum opus is a monumental piece spanning three galleries.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a PIE. You cut it into many separate PIECES to share.
Conceptual Metaphor
IDEAS/INFORMATION ARE OBJECTS (I gave him a piece of my mind). DIFFICULTIES ARE PUZZLES (We pieced together what happened).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'piece' literally in set phrases: 'a piece of advice' is 'совет', not 'кусок совета'.
- Do not use 'piece' for an apartment/flat; use 'flat' (BrE) or 'apartment' (AmE).
- 'Piece of cake' is idiomatically 'проще простого', not related to actual cake.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as an uncountable noun (*'I need piece'*). Must be 'a piece' or plural.
- Confusing 'peace' (silence/harmony) with 'piece' (part).
- Incorrect preposition: *'piece from cake'* instead of 'piece of cake'.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'piece' used CORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is always a countable noun. You must say 'a piece', 'two pieces', etc. However, it is often used with uncountable nouns to make them countable (e.g., a piece of information, three pieces of furniture).
'Piece' (pronounced /piːs/) means a part or portion. 'Peace' (pronounced the same) means absence of war or tranquility. They are homophones but have completely different meanings and spellings.
Yes. The verb 'to piece' (usually 'piece together') means to assemble something from individual parts or fragments, often information or a physical object.
It means something is very easy to do. For example: 'The exam was a piece of cake.' It is not related to actual cake.