{
    "term": "piece",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "a1",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "an amount of something that has been cut or separated from the rest of it; a standard amount of something",
            "sensetop": "piece of somethinginto pieces",
            "labels": "British English(figurative)(figurative)",
            "cefr": "a1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She wrote something on a small **piece of paper**.",
                    "contextForm": "piece of something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a piece of wood/metal"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a large **piece of land**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a **piece of cake**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a piece of cheese/meat/bread"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I've got a piece of grit in my eye."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a small/little/tiny piece of something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He cut the pizza into bite-sized pieces.",
                    "contextForm": "into pieces"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She makes her sculptures out of odd pieces of scrap metal."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She tore the letter into tiny pieces."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["big", "huge", "large"],
                "verb + piece": [
                    "assemble",
                    "glue (back) together",
                    "put (back) together"
                ],
                "preposition": ["in pieces", "piece of"],
                "phrases": ["bits and pieces", "break into pieces", "smash into pieces"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "one of the bits or parts that something breaks into",
            "sensetop": "piece of somethingto pieces in pieces",
            "cefr": "a1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "There were tiny pieces of glass all over the road.",
                    "contextForm": "piece of something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The boat had been smashed to pieces on the rocks.",
                    "contextForm": "to pieces"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The building was **blown to pieces**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "tear/rip something to pieces"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The vase lay in pieces on the floor.",
                    "contextForm": "in pieces"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The cake just broke into pieces when I cut it."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The plate smashed into little pieces on the stone floor."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The vase was now in pieces on the kitchen floor."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["big", "huge", "large"],
                "verb + piece": [
                    "assemble",
                    "glue (back) together",
                    "put (back) together"
                ],
                "preposition": ["in pieces", "piece of"],
                "phrases": ["bits and pieces", "break into pieces", "smash into pieces"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "one of the parts that something is made of",
            "sensetop": "to piecespiece of something",
            "cefr": "a1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He **took** the clock **to pieces**.",
                    "contextForm": "to pieces"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a missing piece of the puzzle",
                    "contextForm": "piece of something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The bridge was taken down **piece by piece**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She's been doing a 500-piece jigsaw."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Can I take this jigsaw to pieces?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I had to take the car to pieces in order to repair it."
                },
                {
                    "text": "A few pieces of the puzzle were missing."
                },
                {
                    "text": "This chair comes to pieces."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We'll need to take the engine apart, piece by piece."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He broke the clock down into pieces."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There had to be some missing piece of the story."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["big", "huge", "large"],
                "verb + piece": [
                    "assemble",
                    "glue (back) together",
                    "put (back) together"
                ],
                "preposition": ["in pieces", "piece of"],
                "phrases": ["bits and pieces", "break into pieces", "smash into pieces"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "a single item of a particular type, especially one that forms part of a set",
            "sensetop": "piece (of something)",
            "cefr": "a1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a **piece of equipment/furniture**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a piece of clothing/luggage"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a piece of machinery"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a 28-piece dinner service"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "used with many uncountable nouns to describe a single example or an amount of something",
            "sensetop": "piece of something",
            "cefr": "a1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a **piece of information/evidence/advice/news/legislation**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a **piece of software**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "This is a superb **piece of work**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It was an interesting piece of research."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The building is a **piece of history** *(= of historical interest or importance)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Isn't that a piece of luck?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "You should eat at least two pieces of fruit a day."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "a single item of writing, art, music, etc. that somebody has produced or created; a short item of writing from a longer work",
            "sensetop": "piece of somethingpiece from something",
            "labels": "(formal)",
            "cefr": "a1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a **piece of music/art**",
                    "contextForm": "piece of something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a fine **piece of writing**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "They performed pieces by Bach and Handel."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The painting is a **companion piece** to *(= is closely related to and intended to be displayed with)* an earlier work."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They have some beautiful pieces *(= works of art, etc.)* in their home."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She read a piece from ‘Alice in Wonderland’.",
                    "contextForm": "piece from something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The orchestra performed pieces by Ravel and Prokofiev."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Auditioning students are required to play a solo piece of their choice."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a piece for symphony orchestra, choir and four soloists"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He hasn't produced a single piece of writing this year."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They are exhibiting two important pieces by Calder."
                },
                {
                    "text": "This is an effective piece of writing."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a companion piece to the portrait of Gauguin's empty chair"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The best pieces include three paintings by El Greco."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Music"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["amazing", "beautiful", "brilliant"],
                "verb + piece": ["compose", "produce", "write"],
                "piece + verb": [
                    "be called something",
                    "be entitled something",
                    "be titled something"
                ],
                "preposition": ["piece by", "piece for", "piece from"],
                "phrases": [
                    "a piece of music",
                    "a piece of sculpture",
                    "a piece of work"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 7,
            "definition": "an article in a newspaper or magazine or a broadcast on television or radio",
            "sensetop": "piece about/on something",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The Washington Post ran a series of **opinion pieces** criticizing the policy."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Did you see her piece about the internet in the paper today?",
                    "contextForm": "piece about/on something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a short piece by Will Simons on television satire"
                },
                {
                    "text": "an occasional piece on the lives of ordinary people"
                },
                {
                    "text": "an original piece written specifically for the producer"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["TV, radio and news"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["amazing", "beautiful", "brilliant"],
                "verb + piece": ["compose", "produce", "write"],
                "piece + verb": [
                    "be called something",
                    "be entitled something",
                    "be titled something"
                ],
                "preposition": ["piece by", "piece for", "piece from"],
                "phrases": [
                    "a piece of music",
                    "a piece of sculpture",
                    "a piece of work"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 8,
            "definition": "a coin of the value mentioned",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a 50p piece"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a five-cent piece"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 9,
            "definition": "one of the small figures or objects that you move around in games such as chess",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "examples": [],
            "topics": ["Games and toys"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 10,
            "definition": "a part or share of something",
            "sensetop": "piece of something",
            "labels": "(especially North American English)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "companies seeking a piece of the market"
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["big", "huge", "large"],
                "verb + piece": [
                    "assemble",
                    "glue (back) together",
                    "put (back) together"
                ],
                "preposition": ["in pieces", "piece of"],
                "phrases": ["bits and pieces", "break into pieces", "smash into pieces"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 11,
            "definition": "a gun",
            "labels": "(North American English, slang)",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 12,
            "definition": "a short distance",
            "labels": "(North American English, old-fashioned, informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She lives down the road a piece from here."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "small objects or items of various kinds",
            "labels": "(British English, informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She stuffed all her bits and pieces into a bag and left."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I just need to get a few bits and pieces at the supermarket."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to use bombs or other weapons to destroy somebody/something completely",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The plane was blown to pieces when the bomb exploded."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to become very old and in bad condition because of long use",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Our car is falling to pieces, we've had it so long."
                },
                {
                    "text": "My old dictionary is falling to pieces."
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "fall apart"
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to stop working; to be destroyed",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He's worried the business will fall to pieces without him."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to tell somebody that you think their behaviour is bad or are angry with them",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to be so upset or afraid that you cannot manage to live or work normally",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "After his wife died he just went to pieces."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "used to say that there is no definite answer to a question",
            "labels": "(British English, informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "‘How long will it take?’ ‘How long's a piece of string?’"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "safe; not damaged or hurt, especially after a journey or dangerous experience",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "They were lucky to get home in one piece."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "a person who is unpleasant, unkind or dishonest",
            "labels": "(British English, informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Don’t trust him; he’s a nasty piece of work."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He's a thoroughly nasty piece of work."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "all the same or similar",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The houses are all of a piece."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "all at the same time",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The house was built all of a piece in 1754."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to criticize somebody, or their work or ideas, very severely",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to return or to help somebody return to a normal situation, particularly after a shock or a disaster",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "You cannot live your children's lives for them; you can only be there to pick up the pieces when things go wrong."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "a thing that is very easy to do",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "a share of the available money or benefits that you believe you have a right to",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The company is demanding a larger slice of the corporate pie."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "a thing that is very easy to do",
            "labels": "(British English, offensive, slang)",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "used to express the fact that you admire somebody or find them funny, often when they have done something that surprises you",
            "labels": "(North American English, informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "You're some piece of work, Jack, do you know that?"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "a share or role in an interesting or exciting activity, especially one that makes money",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Foreign firms will all want a piece of the action if the new airport goes ahead."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to say exactly what you feel or think",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "the person or thing that is responsible for all the trouble in a situation",
            "labels": "(especially humorous)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "It’s hard to identify the real villain of the piece in this case."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/piːs/",
                "audio": "pi/piece/piece__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/piːs/",
                "audio": "pi/piece/piece__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Middle English: from Old French piece (compare with medieval Latin pecia, petium), of obscure ultimate origin."
}