piecemeal

piece·meal  (psml)

adv.

1. By a small amount at a time; in stages: articles acquired piecemeal.

2. In pieces; apart.

adj.

Accomplished or made in stages.

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[Middle English pecemeale : pece, piece; see piece + -mele, by a fixed measure (from Old English -mlum, at a time, from dative pl. of ml, appointed time; see m-² in Indo-European roots).]

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piecemeal [ˈpiːsˌmiːl]

adv

1. by degrees; bit by bit; gradually

2. in or into pieces or piece from piece to tear something piecemeal

adj

fragmentary or unsystematic a piecemeal approach

[C13 pecemele, from piece + -mele, from Old English mælum quantity taken at one time]

Thesaurus

Adj.	1.	piecemeal - one thing at a time bit-by-bit, in small stages, step-by-step, stepwise gradual - proceeding in small stages; "a gradual increase in prices"
Adv.	1.	piecemeal - a little bit at a time; "the research structure has developed piecemeal" bit by bit, in stages, little by little

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piecemeal

adjective

unsystematic, interrupted, partial, patchy, intermittent, spotty, fragmentary piecemeal changes to the constitution

adverb

bit by bit, slowly, gradually, partially, intermittently, at intervals, little by little, fitfully, by degrees, by fits and starts It was built piecemeal over some 130 years.

Translations

piecemeal [ˈpiːsmiːl]

A. ADV (= gradually) → poco a poco, por partes; (= unsystematically) → de manera poco sistemática

B. ADJ [approach, reform] → poco sistemático
a piecemeal solution → una solución de compromiso

piecemeal [ˈpiːsmiːl]

adv (= bit by bit) → par morceaux

adj
a piecemeal approach to sth → une approche décousue de qch
to do sth in a piecemeal fashion → faire qch au coup par coup
piece of advice n → conseil m
piece of furniture n → meuble m
a useful piece of furniture → un meuble pratique
piece of paper n → morceau m de papier
piece of research n → travail m de recherche
a piece of research on the effects of the drug → un travail de recherche sur les effets du médicament
piece rate n → taux m or tarif m à la pièce

piecemeal [ˈpiːsˌmiːl]

1. adv → poco alla volta

2. adj (approach, process) → graduale