piece goods

American  

plural noun

1. goods, especially fabrics, sold at retail by linear measure.

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piece goods British  

plural noun

1. Also called: yard goods.  goods, esp fabrics, made in standard widths and lengths

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Etymology

Origin of piece goods

First recorded in 1655–65

Example Sentences

Inexpensive needles, thread, piece goods, fancy notions, buttons and furbelows, even snake oil, but these were what the pioneers needed � the thousand tiny common denominators of civilization.

From Time Magazine Archive

In Thailand, Japanese cotton piece goods had been virtually driven from the market by Chinese prices, which were as much as 15% lower.

From Time Magazine Archive

What Japan wants to sell is Japanese cotton piece goods, Manchurian soya beans and such.

From Time Magazine Archive

Severely affected were Japanese mills which used to export large quantities of cheap piece goods to India.

From Time Magazine Archive

Fixing her mouth like saying prune, she just went on studying the piece goods.

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns