Dictionary

piece by piece en · X

Meanings

1. In gradual stages.
   • When the war with Japan broke out the F.M.S.R. had a busy time, but it could not make up for the lack of other communications or for general shortage of military equipment, so, piece by piece, it fell into Japanese hands. 1950 October, R. A. Marshall, “Kuala Lumpur, an important Malayan Railway Centre”, in Railway Magazine, page 705:
   • Rather than tackling the entire project at once, work on each assignment piece by piece.

Synonyms

bit by bit · little by little