piecemeal

• adv. 零碎地；逐个地
• adj. 零碎的；逐渐的
• n. 片；块
• vt. 粉碎

piece,一块，一片，meal,此处来自其古义分配时间，指定时间。引申词义零碎的。

piecemeal

piecemeal: see meal

piecemeal (adv.)

c. 1300 (originally two words), from piece (n.) + Old English mælum "at a time," dative plural of mæl "appointed time, food served" (see meal (n.1)). The second element once was more commonly used, as in Old English styccemælum "bit by bit," gearmælum "year by year." One-word form from 15c.

1. It was built piecemeal over some 130 years.

它是在差不多130年的时间里一点一点地建造起来的。

来自柯林斯例句

2. a piecemeal approach to dealing with the problem

全无章法的解决问题的方式

来自《权威词典》

3. A lack of narrative drive leaves the reader with piecemeal vignettes.

述缺乏吸引力,读者读到的只是一些支离破碎的片段.

来自《简明英汉词典》

4. Let's settle the matter at one stroke , not piecemeal.

把这事一气儿解决了吧, 别零敲碎打了.

来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5. Instead of the government's piecemeal approach, what is needed is a radical shake-up of 16-19 education.

需要的不是政府零敲碎打的措施，而是要对16至19岁年龄段的教育进行彻底变革。

来自柯林斯例句