party, parti, partie

& a. [Fr. partie = a part, a share, a party; parti =a bargain, a party, a side, prop., the pa. par. of partir =to divide, from Lat. partita, fem. sing. of part it us, pa. par. of par tior to divide, from pars (gen it. partis )=a part; Ital. partita =share, a part; Sp. & Port. partida =a party of soldiers, a crew, .] IMG:content-0706.png:[blocks in formation] 2. A number of persons united against others of a contrary opinion; a faction; one of the parts into which a people is divided on questions of policy; as, the Republican party , the Democratic party , the Prohibition party , the Populist party . "The joy of the whole party was boundle ." -Macau lay: Hist . Eng . , ch. xvii. 3. A number of persons collected or banded together for a particular purpose; spec if., a detached portion of a larger body or company; a detachment of soldiers sent on a special service; an armed force. "I saw our party to their trenches driven." Shakesp.: Coriolanus, i. 6. 4. A select number of persons invited to a social meeting or entertainment; as, a dinner party, a card party . 5. A cause, a side. "Three knights upon our party slain." Shakesp.: Henry IV., Pt. I., v. 5. *6. An ally; a confederate. "His parties, his alliance." Shakesp.: Winter's Tale, il. &. 7. One of two litigants; the plaintiff or the defendant in a suit. "The cause of both parties shall come before the judges."- Exodus xxii. 9. 8. One who is concerned or interested in any affair. "I must be a party in this alteration." Shakesp.: Winter's Tale, i. 2. 9. One who is cognizant of and consents to or approves of anything. "Who would never consent to be a party to the spolia tion and oppre ion." -Macaulay: Hist. Eng . , ch. xii. 10. A certain individual or person referred to under consideration. 11. A person or individual in general. ( Slang.) B. As adjective: I. Ord. Lang.: Of or pertaining to a party or faction; as, a party cry, party spirit. II. Her .: Parted or divided; used with reference to any division of a field or charge; as, party per pale , when a field is divided by a perpendicular line; party per fe e , when it is divided by a horizontal line; party per bend , when it is divided by a line running diagonally from the dexter chief to the sinister base. *party-cloth, subst . Cloth made of different colors.