styccemælum

Meaning

1. piece by piece; piecemeal.

   ⁊ ēac þætte þrīe wulfas on ānre niht brōhton ānes dēades monnes līchoman binnan þā burg, ⁊ hiene þær siþþan styċċemælum tōbrugdon, oþ þā men onwōcan, ⁊ ūt urnon, ⁊ hīe siþþan aweġ flugon.

   And on one night, three wolves brought the body of a dead man into the city, and then tore it to pieces bit by bit, until the people awoke and ran out, and they ran away.

   late 9th century, translation of Orosius’ History Against the Pagans