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to piece

to piece

3 9.9
To eat small amounts at different times
  • verb
  • /piːs/
translation icon : picotear

Examples

  • When Gracie Kang's elder twin sisters reached the age of eighteen, they went down to the Alameda County Shipyards and got jobs piecing battleships together for the U.S. Navy.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • She occasionally invited Sonny now to these frugal repasts, although in the days of Gertrude he had never been asked to partake of anything at the table, but had once in a while "pieced" on something in the pantry.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • After dinner, I started to piece the remaining dessert slowly, savoring every bite.

  • He likes to piece the leftover pizza throughout the evening instead of eating it all at once.

  • She casually pieces her favorite snack while watching television, enjoying it over time.

Synonyms

to pick
vsto piece
116 3.6

To eat small amounts and not finish a meal

is eaten in small intermittent bites rather than leaving much food unfinished
to nibble
vsto piece
56 2.0

To eat small, gentle bites slowly or a little at a time

is eaten in small intermittent bites rather than continuous gentle biting
to snack
vsto piece
27 1.0

To eat a small amount of food between meals

is done in small intermittent bites rather than as a short between-meal eating
to have a bite
vsto piece
17 1.8

Eat a small amount of food as a quick snack

is done in small intermittent bites rather than as a single small portion
to snack on
vsto piece
10 2.5

To eat small amounts of food between meals

is eaten in small intermittent bites rather than focused between-meals eating
to peck
vsto piece
9 3.4

To eat small, quick bites like a bird

is eaten in small intermittent bites rather than rapid quick biting
to graze
vsto piece
5 3.8

Eat small amounts of food during the day instead of a full meal

is done in small intermittent bites rather than as continuous all-day eating
to nosh
vsto piece
  • Informal
4 8.2

To eat a small snack between meals

is eaten in small intermittent bites rather than a light informal between-meal eating
to peck at
vsto piece
1 4.7

To eat only a little food and not show interest

is done in small intermittent bites rather than from low appetite or disinterest
to sup
vsto piece
  • Archaic
1 9.9

To take small amounts of liquid or soft food into the mouth slowly

is eaten in small intermittent bites rather than by sipping or spooning liquids
to eat like a bird
vsto piece
  • Informal
1 6.0

To eat only a very small amount of food

is eaten in small intermittent bites rather than indicating very low total intake
to pick at
vsto piece
1 4.2

Do something slowly and without interest, often doing only small parts

is eaten in small intermittent bites rather than slow reluctant eating
to browse
vsto piece
1 3.9

To eat small amounts of different foods instead of a full meal

is eaten in small intermittent bites rather than varied sampling across dishes

Antonyms

12 5.9

To eat a very large amount of food greedily

12 4.5

To do something like eating, drinking, or watching a lot in a short time

Idioms

piece of cake
  • Informal
51 1.0

Something very easy to do

15 4.4

A share in an activity that may bring money or excitement

piece of the pie
  • Informal
10 3.4

A part of profits or benefits that people receive

4 6.9

Having the same style or quality throughout

1 3.4

People make or sell items one at a time instead of in bulk

Tell someone angrily that you are upset with them

Say this when you cannot give a clear answer because it depends on things you do not know

Tell someone angrily that you are unhappy with them

Compounds

180 1.0

A single flat sheet used for writing or printing

piece of shit
  • Offensive
169 9.9

A person or thing that is very bad and has no value used to insult someone

piece of junk
  • Informal
36 3.2

A thing that is worth little and does not work well

piece of crap
  • Offensive
34 8.9

A thing of very poor quality that is useless

An important fact that helps explain a situation or solve a problem

23 1.8

A small area of land that someone owns or uses

piece of work
  • Informal
23 6.2

Something impressive but difficult, for example a book or building, and sometimes a person who behaves strangely

A musical work like a song or music played by instruments

A single item in a room like a chair or table

piece of garbage
  • Informal
14 1.7

A thing that is useless and not worth keeping

11 3.3

One object that is whole and not made from other parts

piece of trash
  • Offensive
11 4.7

Something thought to be worthless or of very low quality

A set of matching jacket, vest, and trousers worn for formal occasions

piece of writing
  • Specialized
9 2.1

A text that a person makes to share ideas, feelings, or stories

9 3.5

Clothing made of three matching pieces, usually a jacket, trousers and a waistcoat

9 1.0

A small chewy piece of candy you chew once

piece of ass
  • Offensive
8 9.9

A person seen only as someone to have sex with, not as a whole person

A small piece cut from a larger material used to make or fix clothes

6 2.0

A small object like a pawn or queen used in the game of chess

5 7.0

A play, film, or book that shows a past time in great detail

An object that people notice and talk about

An area of land used for something, like a garden or park

piece of eight
  • Archaic
3 9.9

An old Spanish silver coin worth eight reales used widely in trade from the 1500s to 1800s

A part of cloth cut to use for clothes or crafts

2 5.1

A long planned sequence in a film or game that shows big action

2 3.0

A woman's swimsuit with a separate top and bottom

2 3.0

A suit with a matching jacket and skirt or trousers

think piece
  • Literature
1 6.8

An article in a newspaper or magazine that gives opinions to start a discussion

1 6.8

A single item of stage scenery like a painted tree

1 3.1

Made of two separate parts

A piece of clothing or jewelry that gets attention

1 1.8

A coin from the United States worth fifty cents, equal to half a dollar

fowling piece
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A light shotgun used for shooting wild birds

piece goods
  • Specialized
1 6.7

Cloth sold in lengths by the yard or meter for sewing

piece of land
  • Jargon
1 6.7

A digital area in an online world that someone can buy or own

piece rate
  • Specialized
1 4.8

Pay for each item a worker makes

1 5.5

An item in a collection that people value most

A set of matching jacket and trousers or skirt that people wear for work

1 3.2

Two people who play music together as a group

knee piece
  • Archaic
9.9

A curved metal plate that protects the knee in armor

masking piece
  • Jargon
9.5

A piece of stage scenery that hides parts of the stage from the audience

8.1

A piece of animal fur you wear around the neck like a scarf for warmth and style

9.9

A piece of skilled work made to show a worker can become a master

9.9

A small chew of gutka, a kind of chewing tobacco

piece of tail
  • Offensive
9.9

Someone treated only for sex, not as a real person

A coin worth ten cents, like a dime

woketurd piece
  • Offensive
9.9

An insulting label for an article that pretends to support social causes but has no real ideas

How Much

to devour
13 2.9
to eat
1.0
to piece
3 9.9
to nibble
56 2.0
to pick at
5 4.6

Surface Forms

piece infinitive
pieced past
pieced past participle
piecing present participle
pieces third person singular

Etymology

A helpful way to remember the verb piece meaning to eat in small amounts is to think of taking food 'piece by piece' — small 'bits' at a time.