piece-n; 13 Senses

Sense Number 1: a component, constituent of a larger whole, a fragment

Commentary: PIECE[+role][+whole][+component][+portion/+fragment/+part] Includes idiom: in_pieces
NOTE: -not- an instance, but a part of a larger whole, hence differs from Sense 2

Examples:
Pieces of the jigsaw puzzle were laid out all over the dining room table.
Another piece of the mystery has been solved.
Pieces of broken glass were strewn across the highway.
Mary served us pieces of apple pie.
Investors are now interested in a piece of the action with that biotech firm. (a portion of stock)
The company is putting a greater piece of the profits back into research and development.
Would you like another piece of cheese? (portion of the cheese, not an instance of it)
Bob wears three-piece suits to work.
The negotiation is in pieces at the moment. (figurative, fallen apart)

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 1, 3, 8, 12

Sense Number 2: an instance of a type or kind, a specimen

Commentary: PIECE[+role][+type][+instance][+specimen/+example]
NOTE: differs from sense 1, Sense 2 instances are wholes, not components
NOTE: does -not- imply the piece is part of a personal collection, see Sense 4
NOTE: 'a piece of expensive jewelry' is not a member of all the jewelry in one person's collection.

Examples:
This carved bed is a handmade piece of furniture.
This is a rare piece of pink marble. (a specimen)
That's a very nice piece of work for a third grader! (instance, example of work)
That's a piece of nonsense! (an example of it)
Here is a piece of expensive jewelry.

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 2, 5

Sense Number 3: a composition, usually literary or musical

Commentary: PIECE[+artifact][+composition][+literary/+musical/+graphical]
NOTE: does not imply the composition belongs in a collection (see Sense 4)

Examples:
I read a short piece on Darfur in yesterday's paper.
The composer wrote several pieces for piano and violin.
Bob wrote a piece for a monthly literary magazine.
The newspaper is publishing a piece on South America in Sunday's travel section.

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 4, 6

Sense Number 4: an element in a personal collection, e.g., artwork

Commentary: PIECE[+artifact][+collection][+work][+painting/+sculpture/+ceramic] [+role][+member][+collection][+owned]
NOTE: Implies that the piece belongs in a specific collection of items owned by someone, different from Sense 2

Examples:
The museum has lent out two pieces from its Monet collection.
This Ming Dynasty vase is the most important piece in John's collection of Chinese ceramics.
Only one piece of this 18th-century tea service has survived.
Pieces from his private collection of Navajo textiles are on display at the library.
These pieces are part of the Italian designer's fall collection. (clothing that belongs in a specific collection)

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 10

Sense Number 5: a length or distance of approximate size

Commentary: PIECE[+quantity][+length][+indeterminate][+distance/+time]

Examples:
You walk up the road a piece and you'll come to a well, turn right and keep going.
We sat down on the side of the trail to rest a piece.
They've been having a piece of bad weather lately that's damaged some crops. ( a time period, a spell)

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 9, 11

Sense Number 6: handgun, firearm

Commentary: PIECE[+weapon][+handgun]

Examples:
John packs a piece. (carries a gun)
The officers are trained to disassemble and clean their pieces.
He pointed a piece at the clerk and told her to open the cash register.

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 7

Sense Number 7: board game equipment, tokens

Commentary: PIECE[+equipment][+game][+token]

Examples:
I rolled the dice and moved my piece five squares forward.
When stones are surrounded in the game of go, those pieces are removed from the board.
These chess pieces are made of ebony and maple.

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 13

Sense Number 8: opinion, viewpoint

Commentary: PIECE[+state][+mental][+viewpoint]

Examples:
John spoke his piece at town meeting last night.
She gave them a piece of her mind about the loud parties. (idiomatic)
Let them say their piece and then we'll try to respond.

Mappings:
WordNet 0.0 Sense Numbers: 9

Sense Number 9: copulation

Commentary: PIECE[+activity][+copulation]

Examples:
Those guys are cruising the bars, looking for a piece.
The boy got slapped for requesting a piece of tail.

Mappings:

Sense Number 10: be emotionally distraught

Commentary: Idiom: go_to_pieces, fall_to_pieces

Examples:
He really went to pieces after his wife's death.
Don't go to pieces just because your article wasn't accepted.
Mary needs a vacation before she falls to pieces.

Mappings:
WordNet 0.0 Sense Numbers: go_to_pieces

Sense Number 11: coin, old Spanish doubloon worth eight reales

Commentary: phrase: piece_of_eight

Examples:
John showed us his coin collection including two pieces of eight.
The divers found a piece of eight when exploring the ship wreck.

Mappings:
WordNet 0.0 Sense Numbers: piece_of_eight

Sense Number 12: consistent, uniform, similar

Commentary: Idiom: of_a_piece

Examples:
This collection of poems written over two decades is really not of a piece.
Her performances have been more of a piece lately.

Mappings:
WordNet 0.0 Sense Numbers: of_a_piece

Sense Number 13: intact, unbroken

Commentary: phrase: in_one_piece

Examples:
My old camera is still in one piece. (functional)
He managed to come out of boot camp in one piece. (figurative)

Mappings:
WordNet 0.0 Sense Numbers: in_one_piece