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party

n. · v. · adj.
US //ˈpɑɹti// UK //pˈɑːti// par·ty
  1. 1 social event (n.)
    A1 Beginner

    a social meeting where people enjoy themselves by eating, drinking, and talking.

    a social gathering of invited guests, typically involving eating, drinking, and entertainment.

    Example

    We are having a small party at our house to celebrate his birthday.

    Example

    The company hosted an elaborate year-end party to reward the staff for their exceptional performance during the merger.
  2. 2 political organisation (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Politics

    an organised group of people with similar political aims who try to get elected.

    an organised political group that seeks to influence or control government policy, usually by nominating candidates and competing in elections.

    Example

    She decided to join the Green Party because she cares about the environment.

    Example

    The ruling party faced significant opposition after proposing a controversial tax reform that affected middle-income households.
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  1. 3 legal side (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Formal Law

    a person or group of people involved in a legal case or a contract.

    a person or entity constituting one of the sides in a legal proceeding, contract, or transaction.

    Example

    Both parties must sign the contract before the sale is final.

    Example

    The mediator requested that all parties involved in the dispute attend the session to reach a fair settlement.
  2. 4 small group (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a small group of people doing something together, like travelling or working.

    a small group of people gathered for a specific task, mission, or excursion.

    Example

    A search party was sent out to find the hikers who got lost in the woods.

    Example

    The landing party secured the perimeter while the rest of the battalion prepared to disembark from the transport ships.
  3. 5 an individual (n.)
    C1 Advanced Humorous Archaic

    a person.

    a person or individual; often used with a descriptive adjective.

    Example

    He is a strange old party who lives in the house on the hill.

    Example

    The inspector described the suspect as a 'suspicious party' who had been loitering near the bank for several hours.
  4. 6 to celebrate (v.)
    A2 Elementary Informal

    to enjoy yourself at a party or social event.

    to attend or hold a party; to enjoy oneself boisterously.

    Example

    They stayed out late to party after the final exam was over.

    Example

    The students spent the entire weekend partying to mark the end of the academic year before heading home for the summer.
  5. 7 partisan (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Politics

    supporting one political group very strongly.

    relating to or supporting a specific political party; biased toward one faction.

    Example

    The newspaper was accused of following the party line too closely.

    Example

    The senator's party loyalty was tested when he was asked to vote against a bill that benefited his home state.
Etymology 1

From Middle English party, partye, partie, from Anglo-Norman partie, from Old French partie (“side, part; portion, share; separation, division”, literally “that which is divided”), noun use of feminine of past participle of Old French partir (“to divide, separate”), from Latin partire (“to share, part, distribute, divide”), from pars (“a part, piece, a share”); see also part. First attested in c. 1300. Doublet of partita. The sense of communist party of a communist state derives Russian партия (partija), short for Коммунистическая партия (Kommunističeskaja partija).

Etymology 2

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

Idioms17 entries

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