Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Party

Par′ty

(pär′ty̆)
,
Noun.
;
pl.
Parties
(pär′tĭz)
.
[F.
parti
and
partie
, fr. F.
partir
to part, divide, L.
partire
,
partiri
. See
Part
,
Verb.
]
1.
A part or portion.
[Obs.]
“The most party of the time.”
Chaucer.
2.
A number of persons united in opinion or action, as distinguished from, or opposed to, the rest of a community or association; esp., one of the parts into which a people is divided on questions of public policy.
Win the noble Brutus to our
party
.
Shakespeare
The peace both
parties
want is like to last.
Dryden.
3.
A part of a larger body of company; a detachment;
especially
(Mil.)
,
a small body of troops dispatched on special service.
4.
A number of persons invited to a social entertainment; a select company;
as, a dinner
party
; also, the entertainment itself;
as, to give a
party
.
5.
One concerned or interested in an affair; one who takes part with others; a participator;
as, he was a
party
to the plot; a
party
to the contract.
6.
The plaintiff or the defendant in a lawsuit, whether an individual, a firm, or corporation; a litigant.
The cause of both
parties
shall come before the judges.
Ex. xxii. 9.
7.
Hence, any certain person who is regarded as being opposed or antagonistic to another.
If the jury found that the
party
slain was of English race, it had been adjudged felony.
Sir J. Davies.
8.
Cause; side; interest.
Have you nothing said
Upon this
Party
’gainst the Duke of Albany?
Shakespeare
9.
A person;
as, he is a queer
party
.
[Now accounted a vulgarism.]
“For several generations, our ancestors largely employed party for person; but this use of the word, when it appeared to be reviving, happened to strike, more particularly, the fancy of the vulgar; and the consequence has been, that the polite have chosen to leave it in their undisputed possession.”
Fitzed. Hall.
Party jury
(Law)
,
a jury composed of different parties, as one which is half natives and half foreigners.
–
Party man
,
a partisan.
Swift.
–
Party spirit
,
a factious and unreasonable temper, not uncommonly shown by party men.
Whately.
–
Party verdict
,
a joint verdict.
Shak.
–
Party wall
.
(a)
(Arch.)
A wall built upon the dividing line between two adjoining properties, usually having half its thickness on each property
.
(b)
(Law)
A wall that separates adjoining houses, as in a block or row.

Par′ty

,
Adj.
[F.
parti
divided, fr.
partir
to divide. See
Part
,
Verb.
, and cf.
Partite
.]
1.
(Her.)
Parted or divided, as in the direction or form of one of the ordinaries;
as, an escutcheon
party
per pale
.
2.
Partial; favoring one party; partisan.
I will be true judge, and not
party
.
Chaucer.
Charter party
.
See under
Charter
.

Par′ty

,
adv.
Partly.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.

Webster 1828 Edition

Party

P`ARTY

,
Noun.
[L. pars. See Part.]
1.
A number of persons united in opinion or design, in opposition to others in the community. It differs from faction, in implying a less dishonorable association, or more justifiable designs. Parties exist in all governments; and free governments are the hot-beds of party. Formerly, the political parties in England were called whigs and tories.
2.
One of two litigants; the plaintiff or defendant in a lawsuit.
The cause of both parties shall come before the judges. Ex.22.
3.
One concerned or interested in an affair. This man was not a party to the trespass or affray. He is not a party to the contract or agreement.
4.
Side; persons engaged against each other.
The peace both parties want, is like to last.
Small parties make up in diligence what they want in numbers.
5.
Cause; side.
Aegle came in to make their party good.
6.
A select company invited to an entertainment; as a dining party, a tea party, an evening party.
7.
A single person distinct from or opposed to another.
If the jury found that the party slain was of English race, it had been adjudged felony,
8.
In military affairs, a detachment or small number of troops sent on a particular duty, as to intercept the enemy's convoy, to reconnoiter, to seek forage, to flank the enemy, &c.is used to qualify other words and may be considered either as part of a compound word, or as an adjective; as party man, party rage, party disputes, &c.

Definition 2024

Party

Party

See also: party and párty

German

Noun

Party f ‎(genitive Party, plural Partys)

  1. (social gathering) party

Synonyms

party

party

See also: Party and párty

English

Noun

party ‎(plural parties)

  1. (law) 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 John Davies (c.1569-1626)
      If the jury found that the party slain was of English race, it had been adjudged felony.
  2. A person.
    1. (slang, dated) A person; an individual.
      He is a queer party.‎
    2. With to: an accessory, someone who takes part.
      I can't possibly be a party to that kind of reckless behaviour.‎
  3. (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, Ch.6:
      A 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.
    1. (role-playing games, online gaming) Active player characters organized into a single group.
    2. (video games) A group of characters controlled by the player.
  4. 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.‎
    • 1915, Emerson Hough, The Purchase Price, chapterI:
      "A fine man, that Dunwody, yonder," commented the young captain, as they parted, and as he turned to his prisoner. "We'll see him on in Washington some day. […] A strong man—a strong one; and a heedless." ¶ "Of what party is he?" she inquired, as though casually.
  5. (military) A discrete detachment of troops, especially for a particular purpose.
    The settlers were attacked early next morning by a scouting party.‎
  6. A social gathering.
    1. A gathering of usually invited guests for entertainment, fun and socializing.
      I'm throwing a huge party for my 21st birthday.‎
    2. 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, chapter 5, in The Celebrity:
        We made an odd party before the arrival of the Ten, particularly when the Celebrity dropped in for lunch or dinner.
    3. A gathering of acquaintances so that one of them may offer items for sale to the rest of them.
      Tupperware party;  lingerie party‎
  7. (obsolete) A part or division.
    • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte d’Arthur, Bk.II, Ch.xv:
      And so the moost party of the castel that was falle doune thorugh that dolorous stroke laye vpon Pellam and balyn thre dayes.
Synonyms
  • (social gathering):
  • bash
  • do
  • rave
  • See also Wikisaurus:party

Hyponyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Related terms
Translations

Verb

party ‎(third-person singular simple present parties, present participle partying, simple past and past participle partied)

  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. (intransitive) To engage in flings, to have one-night stands, to sow one's wild oats.
  4. (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
Translations

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: spirit · sometimes · account · #453: party · sight · electronic · sea

Etymology 2

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

Adjective

party ‎(not comparable)

  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

Adverb

party ‎(not comparable)

  1. (obsolete) Partly.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Chaucer to this entry?)

Anagrams

Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch partij.

Noun

party ‎(plural partye)

  1. party (group, especially a political one)

Dutch

Pronunciation

Etymology

Borrowing from English party.

Noun

party f, m ‎(plural party's, diminutive party'tje n)

  1. party

Synonyms

Derived terms

French

Etymology

Borrowing from English party.

Pronunciation

Noun

party m, f ‎(plural parties or partys)

  1. (Canada) party (social gathering)

Usage notes

party has two genders in French: In Canada, it is a masculine noun, and in France it is a feminine noun.

Derived terms

  • garden-party
  • party hot-dog
  • suicide-party

Italian

Etymology

Borrowing from English party.

Noun

party m ‎(invariable)

  1. party (social gathering)

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

Borrowing from English party.

Noun

party n ‎(definite singular partyet, indefinite plural party or partyer, definite plural partya or partyene)

  1. a party (social event)

Synonyms

References

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

Borrowing from English party.

Noun

party n ‎(definite singular partyet, indefinite plural party, definite plural partya)

  1. a party (social event)

Synonyms

References

Portuguese

Verb

party

  1. Obsolete spelling of parti

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowing from English party.

Noun

party m ‎(plural partys or parties)

  1. party

Swedish

Etymology

Borrowing from English party.

Pronunciation

Noun

party n

  1. party; social gathering

Declension

Inflection of party 
Singular Plural
Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite
Nominative party partyt partyn partyna
Genitive partys partyts partyns partynas

Pronunciation

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