piece

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
piece/piːs/

▶noun

• 1 a portion of an object or of material produced by cutting, tearing, or breaking the whole.

• 2 an item used in constructing something or forming part of a set; a component.

  ■ an instance or example: a crucial piece of evidence.

• 3 a musical or written work or artistic creation: a piece of music.

• 4 a figure or token used to make moves in a board game.

  ■ Chess a king, queen, bishop, knight, or rook, as opposed to a pawn.

• 5 a coin of specified value: a 10p piece.

• 6 informal, chiefly N. Amer. a firearm.

• 7 informal a woman.

• 8 Scottish a sandwich or other item of food taken as a snack.

▶verb

• 1 (piece something together) assemble something from individual parts.

• 2 (piece something out) archaic extend something.

• 3 archaic patch (something).

– phrases
go to pieces become so nervous or upset that one is unable to function normally.
in one piece unharmed or undamaged.
(all) of a piece entirely consistent.
piece by piece in slow and small stages.
piece of water a small lake or pond.
piece of work informal a person of a specified kind, especially an unpleasant one.
say one's piece give one's opinion or make a prepared statement.
tear (or pull) someone/thing to pieces criticize someone or something harshly.

– derivatives
piecer noun.

– origin ME: from OFr. piece (cf. med. L. pecia, petium), of obscure ultimate origin.