apiece, adv.
(əˈpiːs)
Forms: 4–6 a pece, 6 apece, apesse, 6–7 a peece, a-peece, apeece, 7 a peice, 6– a piece, a-piece, apiece.
[orig. two words, a piece, as to reckon coins, pottery, cloth, etc., at so much a piece; but soon extended to objects of any collection, or individuals of a company; so that no consciousness of the connexion with piece is ordinarily retained.]
For each piece, article, thing, or (colloq.) person; each, for each, to each; severally, individually.
| [1465 Mann. & Househ. Exp. 476 The prise of a pece, vii.s. 1556 Chr. Gr. Fr. 47 A new qwyne of sylver, of xij{supd} apece.] c 1430 Bk. Curtasye 376 Ffor cariage þe porter hors schall hyre, ffoure pens a pece. 1526 Tindale John ii. 6 Six water⁓pottes of stone..contaynynge two or thre fyrkins a pece. [1611 apiece]. 1595 Sir J. Gilbert Let. in N. & Q. Ser. iii. V. 109 Too other greate shyppes..off 600 tones apesse. 1611 Bible Luke ix. 3 Neither haue two coates apeece. 1728 Newton Chronol. Amended i. 52 Kings reign, one with another, about eighteen or twenty years a-piece. 1836 C. Fox Jrnls. I. 18 She promised her and Leonora a Cashmere shawl apiece. |