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piece |
5 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Virtu \Vir*tu"\ (?; 277), n. [It. virt[`u] virtue, excellence, from L. virtus. See {Virtue}.] A love of the fine arts; a taste for curiosities. --J. Spence. {An article}, or {piece}, {of virtu}, an object of art or antiquity; a curiosity, such as those found in museums or private collections. I had thoughts, in my chambers to place it in view, To be shown to my friends as a piece of virt[`u]. --Goldsmith. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Piece \Piece\, v. i. To unite by a coalescence of parts to fit together; to join ``It pieced better.'' --Bacon. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Piece \Piece\, n. [OE. pece, F. pi[`e]ce, LL pecia, petia, petium, probably of Celtic origin; cf W. peth a thing a part portion, a little, Armor. pez, Gael. & Ir cuid part share. Cf {Petty}.] 1. A fragment or part of anything separated from the whole, in any manner, as by cutting, splitting, breaking, or tearing; a part a portion; as a piece of sugar; to break in pieces. Bring it out piece by piece. --Ezek. xxiv. 6. 2. A definite portion or quantity, as of goods or work as a piece of broadcloth; a piece of wall paper. 3. Any one thing conceived of as apart from other things of the same kind an individual article; a distinct single effort of a series; a definite performance; especially: a A literary or artistic composition; as a piece of poetry, music, or statuary. b A musket, gun, or cannon; as a battery of six pieces; a following piece. c A coin; as a sixpenny piece; -- formerly applied specifically to an English gold coin worth 22 shillings. d A fact an item; as a piece of news a piece of knowledge. 4. An individual; -- applied to a person as being of a certain nature or quality; often but not always used slightingly or in contempt. ``If I had not been a piece of a logician before I came to him.'' --Sir P. Sidney. Thy mother was a piece of virtue. --Shak. His own spirit is as unsettled a piece as there is in all the world. --Coleridge. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Piece \Piece\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Pieced}; p. pr & vb n. {Piecing}.] 1. To make enlarge, or repair, by the addition of a piece or pieces; to patch; as to piece a garment; -- often with out --Shak. 2. To unite; to join to combine. --Fuller. His adversaries . . . pieced themselves together in a joint opposition against him --Fuller. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: piece n 1: a separate part of a whole: "and important piece of the evidence" 2: an item that is an instance of some type "he designed a new piece of equipment" or "she bought a lovely piece of china" 3: a portion of a natural object; "they analyzed the river into three parts"; "he needed a piece of granite" [syn: {part}] 4: a musical work that has been created; "the composition is written in four movements" [syn: {musical composition}, {opus}, {composition}, {piece of music}] 5: an instance of some kind "it was a nice piece of work"; "he had a bit of good luck" [syn: {bit}] 6: an artistic or literary composition; "he wrote an interesting piece on Iran"; "the children acted out a comic piece to amuse the guests" 7: a portable gun; "he wore his firearm in a shoulder holster" [syn: {firearm}, {small-arm}] 8: a serving that has been cut from a larger portion; "a piece of pie"; "a slice of bread" [syn: {slice}] 9: a distance; "it is down the road a piece" 10: an object created by a sculptor; "it was not known who created the piece" 11: a period of indeterminate length (usually short) marked by some action or condition; "he was here for a little while"; "I need to rest for a piece"; "a spell of good weather" [syn: {while}, {spell}] 12: a share of something "a slice of the company's revenue" [syn: {slice}] 13: a small object used in playing certain board games; "he taught me to set up the men on the chess board"; "he sacrificed a piece to get a strategic advantage" [syn: {man}] v 1: to join or unite the pieces of "patch the skirt" [syn: {patch}] 2: make by putting pieces together; "She pieced a quilt" [syn: {assemble}, {put together}, {set up}] [ant: {disassemble}] 3: join during spinning, as of broken pieces of thread, slivers, or rovings 4: eat intermittently; take small bites of "He pieced at the sandwich all morning"; "She never eats a full meal--she just picks at the food" [syn: {nibble}, {pick}] 5: repair by adding pieces; "She pieced the china cup" [syn: {patch}]
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