piece, piece, piece, meal, ここでは古語のallotted time, appointed timeの意味から。piecemealから派生した。
英語の語源
piecemeal
piecemeal: see meal
piecemeal (adv.)
c. 1300 (originally two words), from piece (n.) + Old English m?lum "at a time," dative plural of m?l "appointed time, food served" (see meal (n.1)). The second element once was more commonly used, as in Old English styccem?lum "bit by bit," gearm?lum "year by year." One-word form from 15c.
例文
1. It was built piecemeal over some 130 years.
130年足らずの間に少しずつ建てられてきました。
2.a piecemeal approach to dealing with the problem
全く章のない問題の解決方法
3.A lack of narrative drive leaves the reader with piecemeal vignetes.
という記述は魅力的ではなく、読者が読んでいるのはいくつかの支離滅裂な断片にすぎない。
4.Let 's settle the matter at one stroke，not piecemeal .
この件を一気に解決しましょう。こまごましないでください。
5.Instead of the government 's piecemeal approach，what is needed is a radical shake-up of 16-19 education.必要なのは政府がゼロに打ち砕く措置ではなく、16歳から19歳までの年齢層の教育を徹底的に変革することだ。