Dictionary

piece of goods en · NOUN

Meanings

1. (obsolete, slang) A person, especially one with undesirable flaws or other notable characteristics.
   • Now that you're inviting Mr Dutch Vangoor to dinner I can give a straightish guess. You needn't trouble, sir. I'm keeping an observant eye on that identical piece of goods myself. 1927, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], Max Carrados Mysteries:
   • 'Well, upon my word,' exclaimed the father, taking the pipe from his mouth, and staring aghast at his daughter in a stupor of indignant surprise, 'you're a pretty article; you're a nice piece of goods for a man to bring up and waste his substance upon […] 1871, Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Fenton's Quest:
2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see piece, of, goods.
   • Usually a silk salesman, a man is accustomed to take his piece of goods and handle them, and roll them out and show them to his customers, […] 1889, N.Y. Supreme Court General Term, page 34:

Forms

Hyponyms

piece of work

Relateds

piece goods