Hypertext Webster Gateway: "piece"
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) 1.7 (wn)
piece
n 1: a separate part of a whole: "an 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: game equipment consisting of an 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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