Definitions for: Party


[n] an occasion on which people can assemble for social interaction and entertainment; "he planned a party to celebrate Bastille Day"
[n] a group of people gathered together for pleasure; "she joined the party after dinner"
[n] an organization to gain political power; "in 1992 Perot tried to organize a third party at the national level"
[n] 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"
[n] a person involved in legal proceedings; "the party of the first part"
[v] have or participate in a party; "The students were partying all night before the exam"



Webster (1913) Definition: Par"ty, n.; pl. Parties. [F. parti and partie, fr. F.
partir to part, divide, L. partire, partiri. See Part, v.]
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. --Shak.

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.

It 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? --Shak.

9. A person; as, he is a queer party. [Now accounted a
vulgarism.]

Note: ``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, a. [F. parti divided, fr. partir to divide. See
Part, v., 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.



I will be true judge, and not party. --Chaucer.

Charter party. See under Charter.


Par"ty, adv.
Partly. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

Synonyms: company, political party

See Also: affair, American Federalist Party, American Labor Party, American Party, Anti-Masonic Party, assignee, assignor, band, bash, birthday party, Black Panthers, brawl, Bull Moose Party, bunfight, bun-fight, ceilidh, celebrate, circle, cocktail party, Communist Party, Conservative Party, Constitutional Union Party, contractor, dance, dance, Democratic Party, Democratic-Republican Party, dinner, dinner party, Dixiecrats, do, Farmer-Labor Party, fatigue party, feast, Federal Party, Federalist Party, fete, fete, fete champetre, fiesta, form of government, Free Soil Party, function, garden party, GOP, Green Party, Greenback Party, Guomindang, hen party, house party, housewarming, human, individual, intervenor, Jane Doe, John Doe, jolly, Know-Nothing Party, Kuomintang, Labor, Labor Party, Labour, Labour Party, landing party, lawn party, Liberal Party, Liberty Party, litigant, litigator, lot, mask, masque, masquerade, Militant Tendency, mixer, mortal, Nazi Party, occasion, open house, opposition, organisation, organization, party to the action, party to the transaction, People's Party, person, political system, Populist Party, Progressive Party, Prohibition Party, rave, reception, Republican Party, rescue party, reunion, reversioner, Richard Roe, search party, set, shindig, shindy, shower, slumber party, smoker, sociable, social, social affair, Social Democratic Party, social function, social gathering, social occasion, Socialist Labor Party, Socialist Party, soiree, somebody, someone, soul, stag party, States' Rights Democratic Party, stretcher party, tea party, third party, tortfeasor, tort-feasor, vouchee, wedding, wedding party, Whig Party, whist drive, whist drive

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