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par·ty 
Audio Help [pahr-tee] Pronunciation Key noun, plural -ties, adjective, verb, -tied, -ty·ing.
—Related forms
Audio Help [pahr-tee] Pronunciation Key noun, plural -ties, adjective, verb, -tied, -ty·ing. –noun
–adjective
–verb (used without object) Informal.
| 1. | a social gathering, as of invited guests at a private home, for conversation, refreshments, entertainment, etc.: a cocktail party. |
| 2. | a group gathered for a special purpose or task: a fishing party; a search party. |
| 3. | a detachment, squad, or detail of troops assigned to perform some particular mission or service. |
| 4. | a group of persons with common purposes or opinions who support one side of a dispute, question, debate, etc. |
| 5. | a group of persons with common political opinions and purposes organized for gaining political influence and governmental control and for directing government policy: the Republican party; the Democratic party. |
| 6. | the system of taking sides on public or political questions or the like. |
| 7. | attachment or devotion to one side or faction; partisanship: to put considerations of party first. |
| 8. | Law.
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| 9. | a person or group that participates in some action, affair, plan, etc.; participant: He was a party to the merger deal. |
| 10. | the person under consideration; a specific individual: Look at the party in the green velvet shorts. |
| 11. | a person or, usually, two or more persons together patronizing a restaurant, attending a social or cultural function, etc.: The headwaiter asked how many were in our party; a party of 12 French physicists touring the labs; a party of one at the small table. |
| 12. | a person participating in a telephone conversation: I have your party on the line. |
| 13. | any occasion or activity likened to a social party, as specified; session: The couple in the next apartment are having their usual dish-throwing party. |
| 14. | an advantageous or pleasurable situation or combination of circumstances of some duration and often of questionable character; period of content, license, exemption, etc.: The police broke in and suddenly the party was over for the nation's most notorious gunman. |
| 15. | of or pertaining to a party or faction; partisan: party leaders. |
| 16. | of or for a social gathering: her new party dress. |
| 17. | being shared by or pertaining to two or more persons or things. |
| 18. | Heraldry. (of an escutcheon) having the field divided into a number of parts, usually two; parted. |
| 19. | to go to or give parties, esp. a series of parties. |
| 20. | to enjoy oneself thoroughly and without restraint; indulge in pleasure. |
[Origin: 1250–1300; ME partie < OF, n. use of fem. of parti, ptp. of partir < L partīre to share. See part]
] —Related forms
par·ty·less, adjective
—Usage note Party meaning “a specific individual” is old in the language, going back to the 15th century, and was formerly in common use. Today, it remains standard in limited senses, chiefly the legal, and is often used humorously or condescendingly: the party holding the balloon. Person is the neutral and common term.
| Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006. |
party
To learn more about party visit Britannica.com
| © 2008 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. |
| par·ty
Audio Help (pär'tē) Pronunciation Key
n. pl. par·ties
adj.
intr.v. par·tied, par·ty·ing, par·ties To celebrate or carouse at or as if at a party: That night we partied until dawn. [Middle English partie, part, side, group, from Old French, from feminine past participle of partir, to divide, from Latin partīre, from pars, part-, part; see part.] par'ty·er, par'ti·er n. Usage Note: Party is unexceptionable when used to refer to a participant in a social arrangement, as in She was not named as a party in the conspiracy. It is this sense that underlies the legal use of the term, as when one speaks of the parties to a contract. The legal use has in turn led to the presence of the word in many fixed expressions, such as injured party and third party. But party is also widely used as a general substitute for person, as in Would all parties who left packages at the desk please reclaim them. This usage has been established for many centuries, but in the Victorian era it came to be associated with the language of the semieducated and it has been the subject of many later criticisms. This use of party may have been reinforced in the 20th century by its adoption by telephone operators. In other contexts, when used in earnest, it may be perceived as a superfluous variant for person. But the jocular use of the term is well established, particularly in references such as a wise old party. |
| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
party
c.1290, "part, portion, side," from O.Fr. partie "a part, a party" (12c.), lit. "that which is divided," from fem. pp. of partir "to divide" (see part (v.)). Political sense of "side in a contest or dispute" evolved by 1300; meaning "a person" is from 1460. Sense of "gathering for social pleasure" is first found 1716, from general sense of persons gathered together (originally for some specific purpose, e.g. dinner party, hunting party). The verb is first attested 1922, from the noun. Phrase the party is over is from 1937; party line is first recorded 1834 in the sense of "policy adopted by a political party," 1893 in the sense of "telephone line shared by two or more subscribers." Party pooper is from 1951, Amer.Eng.
| Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper |
| party | |
noun | |
| 1. | an organization to gain political power; "in 1992 Perot tried to organize a third party at the national level" |
| 2. | a group of people gathered together for pleasure; "she joined the party after dinner" |
| 3. | a band of people associated temporarily in some activity; "they organized a party to search for food"; "the company of cooks walked into the kitchen" |
| 4. | an occasion on which people can assemble for social interaction and entertainment; "he planned a party to celebrate Bastille Day" |
| 5. | a person involved in legal proceedings; "the party of the first part" |
verb | |
| 1. | have or participate in a party; "The students were partying all night before the exam" |
| WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University. |
party
In addition to the idioms beginning with party, also see life of the party.
| The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. |
party1 [ˈpaːti] noun — plural ˈparties
a meeting of guests for entertainment, celebration etc
Example: a birthday party; She's giving/having a party tonight; (also adjective) a party dress
party2 [ˈpaːti] nounExample: a birthday party; She's giving/having a party tonight; (also adjective) a party dress
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a group of people with a particular purpose
Example: a party of tourists
party3 [ˈpaːti] nounExample: a party of tourists
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a group of people with the same ideas and purposes, especially political
Example: a political party
Example: a political party
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| Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary, © 2000-2006 K Dictionaries Ltd. |
Main Entry: par·ty
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural parties
1 a : one (as a person, group, or entity) constituting alone or with othersone of the sides of a proceeding, transaction, or agreement <the parties to a contract> <a person who signed the instrument as a party to the instrument —UniformCommercial Code>
accommodated party
: a party to an instrument for whose benefit an accommodation party signs and incurs liability on the instrument : a party forwhose benefit an accommodation is made
accommodation party
: a party who signs and thereby incurs liability on an instrument that is issued for value and given for the benefit ofan accommodated party
secured party
: a party holding a security interest in another's property
third party
: a person other than the principals <insuranceagainst injury to a third party> b : one (as an individual, firm, or corporation) that constitutes the plaintiff or defendant in an action; also : one so involvedin the prosecution or defense of a judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding as to be bound or substantially affected by the decision or judgment therein
adverse party
: a party to anaction who is on the opposing side; specifically : a party to a finally decided action whose interests would be served by having the judgment upheld on appeal and who is entitled tonotice of an appeal
aggrieved party
: a party with a legally recognized interest that is injuriously affected esp. by an act of a judicial or quasi-judicial body and that confersstanding to appeal called also aggrieved person party aggrieved
indispensable party
: a party whose rights are so connected with the claims being litigated in anaction that no judgment can be rendered without affecting or impairing those rights, no complete disposition of the action can be made without the party's joinder, and whose nonjoinder will result inthe dismissal of an action —compare NECESSARY PARTY in this entry
NOTE: Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 19provides the courts with discretion in determining whether the absence of a party requires dismissal of an action, replacing an older and more rigid basis for determination. The rule states that“the court shall determine whether in equity and good conscience the action should proceed among the parties before it, or should be dismissed, the absent person being thus regarded asindispensable.”
innocent party
: a party having no fault in or responsibility for the situation for which judicial relief is sought : a party who comes into courtwith clean hands
necessary party
: a party whose interests are so connected with an action that he or she should be joined in order to fully determine the controversy but whosenonjoinder because of a valid excuse will not result in dismissal —compare INDISPENSABLE PARTY in thisentry
nominal party
: a party who has no actual stake in the outcome of litigation and whose inclusion as a party is solely for the purpose of conforming with proceduralrules
party aggrieved
: AGGRIEVED PARTY in this entry
party in interest
1: a person whose rights are or will be affected by an action taken esp. by a government or judicial body; especially : a person whose pecuniary interests are affected by abankruptcy proceeding
2 : REAL PARTY IN INTEREST in this entry
proper party
: aparty whose interests are likely to be affected by litigation and whose inclusion in the litigation is preferable but not essential
real party in interest
: a party who accordingto the applicable law is entitled to enforce the right that forms the basis of the claim regardless of who will actually benefit by the outcome
NOTE: Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 17(a)requires that “every action shall be prosecuted in the name of the real party in interest.”
third party
1 : a person who is not a party to an action but whois or may be liable to the defendant in the action for all or part of the plaintiff's claim and against whom the defendant may bring a third-party complaint
2 : a person who is not aparty to an action but who is or may be liable to the plaintiff in the action for all or part of a counterclaim and against whom the plaintiff may bring a third-party complaint —see also THIRD-PARTY COMPLAINT
2 : a group of persons usually sharing a set of political ideals who areorganized for the purpose of directing the policies of a government
| Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc. |
Party
Part\, n. [F. part, L. pars, gen. partis; cf. parere to bring forth, produce. Cf. Parent, Depart, Parcel, Partner, Party, Portion.]1. One of the portions, equal or unequal, into which anything is divided, or regarded as divided; something less than a whole; a number, quantity, mass, or the like, regarded as going to make up, with others, a larger number, quantity, mass, etc., whether actually separate or not; a piece; a fragment; a fraction; a division; a member; a constituent. And kept back part of the price, . . . and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles'feet. --Acts v. 2. Our ideas of extension and number -- do they not contain a secret relation of the parts ? --Locke. I am a part of all that I have met. --Tennyson. 2. Hence, specifically: (a) An equal constituent portion; one of several or many like quantities, numbers, etc., into which anything is divided, or of which it is composed; proportional division or ingredient. An homer is the tenth part of an ephah. --Ex. xvi. 36. A thought which, quartered, hath but one part wisdom, And ever three parts coward. --Shak. (b) A constituent portion of a living or spiritual whole; a member; an organ; an essential element. All the parts were formed . . . into one harmonious body. --Locke. The pulse, the glow of every part. --Keble. (c) A constituent of character or capacity; quality; faculty; talent; -- usually in the plural with a collective sense. "Men of considerable parts." --Burke. "Great quickness of parts." --Macaulay. Which maintained so politic a state of evil, that they will not admit any good part to intermingle with them. --Shak. (d) Quarter; region; district; -- usually in the plural. "The uttermost part of the heaven." --Neh. i. 9. All parts resound with tumults, plaints, and fears. --Dryden. (e) (Math.) Such portion of any quantity, as when taken a certain number of times, will exactly make that quantity; as, 3 is a part of 12; -- the opposite of multiple. Also, a line or other element of a geometrical figure. 3. That which belongs to one, or which is assumed by one, or which falls to one, in a division or apportionment; share; portion; lot; interest; concern; duty; office. We have no part in David. --2 Sam. xx. 1. Accuse not Nature! she hath done her part; Do thou but thine. --Milton. Let me bear My part of danger with an equal share. --Dryden. 4. Hence, specifically: (a) One of the opposing parties or sides in a conflict or a controversy; a faction. For he that is not against us is on our part. --Mark ix. 40. Make whole kingdoms take her brother's part. --Waller. (b) A particular character in a drama or a play; an assumed personification; also, the language, actions, and influence of a character or an actor in a play; or, figuratively, in real life. See To act a part, under Act. That part Was aptly fitted and naturally performed. --Shak. It was a brute part of him to kill so capital a calf. --Shak. Honor and shame from no condition rise; Act well your part, there all the honor lies. --Pope. (c) (Mus.) One of the different melodies of a concerted composition, which heard in union compose its harmony; also, the music for each voice or instrument; as, the treble, tenor, or bass part; the violin part, etc. For my part, so far as concerns me; for my share. For the most part. See under Most, a. In good part, as well done; favorably; acceptably; in a friendly manner. --Hooker. In ill part, unfavorably; with displeasure. In part, in some degree; partly. Part and parcel, an essential or constituent portion; -- a reduplicative phrase. Cf. might and main, kith and kin, etc. "She was . . . part and parcel of the race and place." --Howitt. Part of speech (Gram.), a sort or class of words of a particular character; thus, the noun is a part of speech denoting the name of a thing; the verb is a part of speech which asserts something of the subject of a sentence. Part owner (Law), one of several owners or tenants in common. See Joint tenant, under Joint. Part singing, singing in which two or more of the harmonic parts are taken. Part song, a song in two or more (commonly four) distinct vocal parts. "A part song differs from a madrigal in its exclusion of contrapuntual devices; from a glee, in its being sung by many voices, instead of by one only, to each part." --Stainer & Barrett. Syn: Portion; section; division; fraction; fragment; piece; share; constituent. See Portion, and Section.| Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. |
Party
Par"ti*san\, n. [F., fr. It. partigiano. See Party, and cf. Partisan a truncheon.] [Written also partizan.]1. An adherent to a party or faction; esp., one who is strongly and passionately devoted to a party or an interest. "The violence of a partisan." --Macaulay. Both sides had their partisans in the colony. --Jefferson. 2. (Mil.) (a) The commander of a body of detached light troops engaged in making forays and harassing an enemy. (b) Any member of such a corps.| Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. |
Party
Par"tite\, a. [L. partitus, p. p. of partire to part, divide, from pars. See Part, and cf. Party, a.] (Bot.) Divided nearly to the base; as, a partite leaf is a simple separated down nearly to the base.| Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. |
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