a piece of intelligence

USAGE SUMMARY

The expression "a piece of intelligence" is correct and usable in written English.
It is often used to refer to information that somebody has about a certain situation. For example, "I just received a piece of intelligence that suggests the plan is going to be postponed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

When the NSA has a piece of intelligence, it will very often ask GCHQ for a second opinion.

The Guardian

Sensing Miliband's discomfort, George Osborne leaned over to the prime minister, apparently passing on a piece of intelligence.

The Guardian

"The Vice-President saw a piece of intelligence reporting that Niger was attempting to buy uranium," Cathie Martin, the spokeswoman for Cheney, told me.

The New Yorker

Leiter said that he and Brennan "disagreed not infrequently" on fleeting issues, including interpretations of a piece of intelligence or how to respond to a specific threat.

The Washington Post

"I can fully believe that sismi would put out a piece of intelligence like that," a C.I.A. consultant told me, "but why anybody would put credibility in it is beyond me".

The New Yorker

We also know there's a category of things we don't know.... Now, what happens is that if you go back and take a piece of intelligence when you have it, and then I assert to you, "This is a fact".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

One fragile element in the administration's case, said John Pike, an intelligence expert who heads GlobalSecurity.org, is that even the most advanced spy satellites provide only a piece of any intelligence puzzle.

The New York Times

It is odd to read something of this length that feels like a distillation, a piece of concentrated intelligence, but that is, nonetheless, its effect.

The Guardian - Books

No one, that is, except for a piece of artificial intelligence called Hit Song Science, a program that tries to determine, with mathematical precision, whether a song is going to be a Top 40 hit.

The New York Times - Magazine

But, pressed by Franchesca Hashemi, Cameron said Saudi Arabia had provided a vital piece of intelligence – a reference to a tipoff from the kingdom in 2010 which led to the interception of a bomb hidden in a printer cartridge on a cargo plane at East Midlands airport.

The Guardian

We only used humint if other intel collection methods failed and we never acted on single-source humint because there was no way to vet whether a claim made by a single person was an accurate piece of intelligence or a dispute between tribes with the hope of using us (U.S. military) as leverage in solving an existing tribal conflict.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a piece of intelligence" when referring to a single, discrete item of information, especially in contexts related to espionage, investigation, or strategic planning.

Common error

Avoid using "a piece of intelligence" when you mean someone possesses a high level of cognitive ability. "Intelligence" in this phrase refers to gathered information, not mental capacity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a piece of intelligence" functions primarily as a noun phrase, acting as the subject or object of a sentence. It denotes a singular item of information, often within a context of investigation, analysis, or strategic planning. Ludwig AI confirms that this phrase is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Formal & Business

15%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Science

5%

Academia

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a piece of intelligence" is a common noun phrase used to refer to a single item of information, especially in contexts related to investigation, analysis, or strategic planning. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and frequently used. Predominantly found in news and media, the phrase carries a neutral tone, suitable for formal or professional settings. While alternatives like "a bit of information" or "an item of information" exist, "a piece of intelligence" is particularly useful when emphasizing the strategic value of the data.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an item of information

Replaces "piece of intelligence" with a more generic term for information.

a bit of data

Substitutes "intelligence" with "data", implying a factual and potentially quantifiable piece of information.

a scrap of information

Replaces "piece" with "scrap", suggesting a small or incomplete piece of information.

a fragment of knowledge

Emphasizes the incomplete nature of the information and its relation to broader knowledge.

a tidbit of news

Highlights the novelty or interesting nature of the information, framing it as news.

an intelligence report

More formal and specific term, commonly used in governmental and military contexts.

a lead

Suggests the information is part of an investigation or search.

a clue

Implies the information is a hint toward solving a mystery or problem.

a tip-off

Suggests the information was provided secretly or confidentially.

a revelation

Suggests the information was previously unknown and is now being disclosed.

FAQs

How can I use "a piece of intelligence" in a sentence?

You can use "a piece of intelligence" to refer to a single item of information gathered, such as "The detective received "a piece of intelligence" that led him to the suspect's location."

What's a less formal way to say "a piece of intelligence"?

In less formal contexts, you could use phrases like "a bit of information" or "a tidbit of news" depending on the context.

Is it ever appropriate to use "a piece of intelligence" in everyday conversation?

While "a piece of intelligence" is more common in formal or professional settings, it can be used in everyday conversation when referring to specific information, especially if it's related to a situation being investigated or analyzed.

What's the difference between "a piece of intelligence" and "intelligence gathering"?

"A piece of intelligence" refers to a single item of information, while "intelligence gathering" is the process of collecting information, which may result in multiple pieces of intelligence.