piecemeal.html - adv. & adj.
--adv.

piece by piece; gradually.

--adj.

partial; gradual; unsystematic. [ME f. PIECE + - meal f. OE m

lum (instr. dative pl. of m

l MEAL(1))]

piecemeal.html - See: BY THE PIECE, CONVERSATION PIECE, GIVE A PIECE OF ONE'S MIND, GO TO PIECES, OF A PIECE, PIECE OF CAKE, SAY ONE'S PIECE or SPEAK ONE'S PIECE, TO PIECES.

piecemeal.html - {adj.}, {slang} Easy. * /The final exam was a piece of cake./

piecemeal.html - {v.} 1. To put together from many different pieces; put together from odd parts; patch. * /They pieced out a meal from leftovers./ * /He pieced out the machine with scrap parts./ * /The detective pieced out the story from a stray fact here, a clue there, and a hint somewhere else./ 2. To make larger or longer by adding one or more pieces. * /The girl grew so fast that her mother had to piece out her dresses./

piecemeal.html - See: TICKLE PINK.

piecemeal.html - {n.} Work paid for in accordance with the quantity produced. * /Al prefers working on a piecework basis to being on a regular salary because he feels he makes more that way./