piece of eight

American  

noun

1. peso.

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piece of eight British  

noun

1. a former Spanish coin worth eight reals; peso

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Etymology

Origin of piece of eight

First recorded in 1600–10

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

piece of eight

It was a Spanish piece of eight," said Historian Truman, "and it was thrown across the Rappahannock .

From Time Magazine Archive

But if we break up the piece of eight links, these eight will join together the remaining eight pieces at a cost of 2s.

From Amusements in Mathematics by Dudeney, Henry Ernest

The coin most commonly current was the Spanish piece of eight, but the system of weights and measures was the English system, and reckoning was by pounds, shillings, and pence.

From The History of Currency, 1252 to 1896 by Shaw, William Arthur

The name was extended in the form "dollar" to other coins of similar size, notably the old Spanish "piece of eight."

From Anson's Voyage Round the World The Text Reduced by Household, H. W.

The men, weary of the voyage, offered a piece of eight "each man" to him who first discovered land.

From The Monarchs of the Main, Volume II (of 3) Or, Adventures of the Buccaneers by Thornbury, Walter