Party

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈpɑː.ti/
• US IPA: /ˈpɑɹ.ti/
• Rhymes: -ɑː(r)ti
• Hyphenation: par + ty

From Anglo-Norman partie, Old French partie, from Medieval Latin partita ("a part, party"), from Latin partita, feminine of partitus, past participle of partiri ("to divide"); see part.

File:Birthday party.jpg|thumb|A

Full definition of party

Noun

1. (legal) A person or group of people constituting a particular side in a contract or legal action.
   The contract requires that the party of the first part pay the fee.
• Sir J. DaviesIf the jury found that the party slain was of English race, it had been adjudged felony.
2. (slang, dated) A person; an individual.He is a queer party.
3. With to: an accessory, someone who takes part.
   I can't possibly be a party to that kind of reckless behaviour.
4. (now rare in general sense) A group of people forming one side in a given dispute, contest etc.
• 1912, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan of the Apes, Chapter 6A mile back in the forest the tribe had heard the fierce challenge of the gorilla, and, as was his custom when any danger threatened, Kerchak called his people together, partly for mutual protection against a common enemy, since this gorilla might be but one of a party of several, and also to see that all members of the tribe were accounted for.
5. A political group considered as a formal whole, united under one specific political platform of issues and campaigning to take part in government.
   The green party took 12% of the vote.
6. (military) A discrete detachment of troops, especially for a particular purpose.
   The settlers were attacked early next morning by a scouting party.
7. A social gathering of usually invited guests for entertainment, fun and socializing.
   I'm throwing a huge party for my 21st birthday.
8. A group of people traveling or attending an event together, or participating in the same activity.
   We're expecting a large party from the London office.
• 1898, Winston Churchill, The Celebrity Chapter 5, We made an odd party before the arrival of the Ten, particularly when the Celebrity dropped in for lunch or dinner.
9. (gaming, online gaming) Active player characters organized into a single group.
10. (video games) Group of characters controlled by the player.
11. (obsolete) A part or division.
• 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte d'Arthur, Book II:And so the moost party of the castel that was falle doune thorugh that dolorous stroke laye vpon Pellam and balyn thre dayes.
12. A gathering of acquaintances so that one of them may offer items for sale to the rest of them.
    Tupperware party;  lingerie party

Synonyms

• (social gathering)
• bash
• do
• rave

Derived terms

Related terms

• part
• partisan

Verb

1. (intransitive) To celebrate at a party, to have fun, to enjoy oneself.We partied until the early hours.
2. (intransitive, slang, euphemistic) To take recreational drugs.
• 2004, Daniel Nicholas Shields, Firewoman“Miss, do you party?” the boy asked. “What?” Jennifer asked back. “Do you smoke? I'll get you some cheap. One American dollar equals forty Jamaican dollars. I'll get you as much of the stuff as you need.”
3. (gaming, online gaming, intransitive) To form a party (with).If you want to beat that monster, you should party with a healer.

Derived terms

• party down
• party on

From Middle English, from Old French parti ("parted"), from Latin partītus ("parted"), past participle of partiri ("to divide"). More at part.

Adjective

1. (obsolete, except in compounds) Divided; in part.
2. (heraldry) Parted or divided, as in the direction or form of one of the ordinaries.an escutcheon party per pale

Derived terms

• party-coated
• party-colour
• party-coloured
• party-gold

Adverb

1. (obsolete) Partly.

Anagrams

• yrapt