piece by piece

piece by piece

Incrementally; slowly; one piece at a time. You don't have to overhaul your diet overnight—just start making healthier choices piece by piece. It took years, but piece by piece we turned this ramshackle old house into a real home.
See also: by, piece
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

piece by piece

In stages, gradually, as in He took the clock apart piece by piece, or Let's go over your exam paper, piece by piece. Also see bit by bit.
See also: by, piece
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

ˌpiece by ˈpiece

one part at a time: He took his motorcycle apart piece by piece, cleaned it, and put it back together.
See also: by, piece
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

piece by piece

In stages: took the clock apart piece by piece.
See also: by, piece
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • take a piece out of (one)
  • all of a piece
  • all of a piece with (something)
  • all of a piece with something
  • (all) of a piece
  • of a piece
  • piece of one's mind, (to give someone) a
  • piece of cake
  • a piece of cake
  • be a piece of cake
References in periodicals archive
"Piece By Piece is an album that I am very proud of and I think I appreciate it more this time.
To promote the release of Piece by Piece, Katie Melua is set to sign copies of the new album at HMV Grafton Street on Friday, October 7 at 5.30pm.
They have to build the athletes' skills patiently and solidly piece by piece, in practice.
But Katie, daughter of a Georgian heart specialist who grew up in Ireland, also found time to re-jig Piece by Piece, which is being re-released as a bonus CD and DVD, just in time to make a perfect Valentine's Day gift.
Wellness: Piece By Piece by Pat Sullivan is a highly informative study of what constitutes a chronic illness and a quite helpful guide to the healing process for such a condition.
While years ago a wrecking ball would have done the job, today's contractor often employs a hydraulic attachment affixed to an excavator to demolish part of a structure piece by piece.
"How many private sector proposals would still be viable if you were building it piece by piece over an 11-year period?
John Birch founder Robert Welch noted at the founding of the John Birch Society in December 1958 that globalists intend "to induce the gradual surrender of American sovereignty, piece by piece and step by step, to various international organizations--of which the United Nations is the outstanding but far from the only example."
Firefighters, the police and paramedics devised a plan to dismantle the car piece by piece rather than cut it up.
Contracted by the LMDC, Gilbane Construction will dismantle the building piece by piece once a plan is in place.
"Piece by piece, we're putting it together," Quake says.
Mitchell reads: "Hey JJ / Somepoem / Hey Joan / Blow a pic / Sure / Wanna bet / Yeah / No hands / Tears / Cocksure / Piece by piece." Who could ever doubt it?
WEMBLEY Stadium is to be auctioned off piece by piece via the Internet, it was announced yesterday.
In short, piece by piece of the North Country will begin to resemble what natives call the "flatlands" - a suburbanized wilderness where absentee owners post their land against sportsmen and locals and other such riffraff.
While Katie Melua is riding high in Amazon's CD sales chart with her new album Piece by Piece, the online retailer warned yesterday of a sales slowdown in the run-up to Christmas.