subs. (old).—1. A person, male or female: often in contempt. Also (of women) PIECE (or BIT) OF MUTTON, MUSLIN, or GOODS.
1290. Cursor Mundi, 634. A wel godd PECE [of St. John].
1575. R[ichard] B[ower], Appius and Virginia [DODSLEY, Old Plays (HAZLITT), iv. 125]. O passing PIECE.
1604. SHAKESPEARE, Winter’s Tale, v. 1. ‘His princess say you’?’ … ‘Ay, the most peerless PIECE.’ Ibid., v. 3. O royal PIECE.
1606. CHAPMAN, Monsieur D’Olive, v. 1. She’s but a sallow, freckle-faced PIECE when she is at the best.
1607. DEKKER, Northward Hoe, iv. 1. ’S blood, I was never cozened with a more rascal PIECE of mutton, since I came out a’ the Lawer Countries.
1614. JONSON, Bartholomew Fair, i. 1. He is another manner of PIECE than you think for.
1629. MASSINGER, The Picture, iii. 6.
| Ubald. This Ring was Julietta’s; a fine PIECE, | |
| But very good at the Sport. |
1633. NABBES, Totenham-Court, ii. 2.
| Geo. She seems a handsome PIECE. That opportunity | |
| Would play the Bawd a little! |
1635. GLAPTHORNE, The Lady Mother, i. 3.
| She is … a corrupted PEICE, | |
| A most lascivious prostitute. |
1655. W. STRODE, The Floating Island, E 1. This lewde crack’d abominable PEICE.
1673. WYCHERLEY, The Gentleman Dancing-Master, v. 1. I am thinking … what those Ladies, who are never precise but at a Play, wou’d say of me now; that I were a confident coming PIECE I warrant, and they wou’d damn the poor Poet for libelling the Sex.
1678. COTTON, Burlesque upon Burlesque: or, The Scoffer Scofft [Works (1725), 227].
| But each one must not think to bear | |
| So fine a PIECE as Mulciber. |
1688. CROWNE, City Politics, i. 1. Since she is so weak a PIECE I’ll fortify her.
1749. SMOLLETT, Gil Blas [ROUTLEDGE (1866), 4]. She seemed a pretty PIECE OF GOODS enough, and such a stirring body. Ibid., 80. Keeping open house … for the votaries of pleasure…. She had always two or three other PIECES of damaged goods in the house.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v. PIECE … A damned good or bad PIECE; a girl who is more or less active and skilful in the amorous congress. Hence the (Cambridge) toast, May we never have a PIECE (peace) that will injure the Constitution.
1823. BADCOCK (‘Jon Bee’), Dictionary of the Turf, etc., s.v. PIECE—a soldier calls his musket his PIECE, and so he calls his trull; but highflyers are so termed—behind their backs.
2. In pl. (common).—Money; RHINO (q.v.). [From the old Spanish ‘pieces of eight.’]
1558. FOXE, Acts and Monuments [CATTLEY (1843), viii. 473]. The maid … having a PIECE of money lying by her, given unto her by the death of a kinsman of hers … brought unto him thirty pounds.
1886–96. MARSHALL, ‘Pomes’ from the Pink ’Un [‘Boycotting the Author’], 45. So he added two ‘oughts,’ and got cash for it too, And promptly, proceeded the PIECES to ‘blew.’
1887. H. BAUMANN, Londonismen, ‘Rum Coves.’
| Rum coves that relieve us | |
| Of chinkers and PIECES, | |
| Is gin’rally lagged. |
TO GO (or FALL) TO PIECES, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To be brought to bed.
TO GO ALL TO PIECES, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To collapse; to become exhausted; to be ruined.
1667. PEPYS, Diary, 29 Aug. I find by all hands that the Court is at this day ALL TO PIECES, every man of a faction of one sort or other.
1672. RAY, Proverbs [BOHN], 64. s.v. A Bankrupt. He’s ALL TO PIECES.
1811. AUSTEN, Sense and Sensibility, xxx. ‘Fifty thousand pounds! and by all accounts it won’t come before its wanted; for they say he is ALL TO PIECES.’
1882. Punch, LXXXII., 185, 2. ‘These pals will be all right after dinner.’ ‘Let us hope they will,’ said the Corinthian, ‘for they look ALL TO PIECES now.’
1884. Echo, 7 April, 3, 1. The Oxford men were now ALL TO PIECES! their boat was full of water.
TO EAT A PIECE, verb phr. (U.S. colloquial).—To eat between meals. Also TO PIECE.
