party Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun an organization to gain political power
    political party.
    • in 1992 Perot tried to organize a third party at the national level
  2. noun a group of people gathered together for pleasure
    • she joined the party after dinner
  3. noun a band of people associated temporarily in some activity
    company.
    • they organized a party to search for food
    • the company of cooks walked into the kitchen
  4. noun an occasion on which people can assemble for social interaction and entertainment
    • he planned a party to celebrate Bastille Day
  5. noun a person involved in legal proceedings
    • the party of the first part
  6. verb have or participate in a party
    • The students were partying all night before the exam

WordNet

Par"ty noun
Etymology
F. parti and partie, fr. F. partir to part, divide, L. partire, partiri. See Part, v.
Wordforms
plural Parties
Definitions
  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. "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.
Par"ty adjective
Etymology
F. parti divided, fr. partir to divide. See Part, v., and cf. Partite.
Definitions
  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.
Par"ty adverb
Definitions
  1. Partly. Obs. Chaucer.

Webster 1913