par·ty¹ / ˈpärtē/ • n. (pl. -ties) 1. a social gathering of invited guests, typically involving eating, drinking, and entertainment: an engagement party.2. a formally constituted political group, typically operating on a national basis, that contests elections and attempts to form or take part in a government: the party's conservative mainstream. ∎  a group of people taking part in a particular activity or trip, esp. one for which they have been chosen: the fishing party.3. a person or people forming one side in an agreement or dispute: a contract between two parties. ∎ inf. a person, esp. one with specified characteristics: will you help the party on line 2?• v. (-ties, -tied) [intr.] inf. enjoy oneself at a party or other lively gathering, typically with drinking and music: put on your glad rags and party!PHRASES: be (a) party to be involved in: I felt a wave of revulsion at the manipulations I'd been party to.par·ty² • adj. Heraldry divided into parts of different tinctures: party per fess, or, and azure.

PARTY

Any person involved in a transaction or proceeding. A group of voters organized for the purpose of influencing governmental policy, particularly through the nomination and election of candidates for public office.

Plaintiffs and defendants are parties in lawsuits, for example. They have the right to make claims and defenses, offer proof, and examine and cross-examine witnesses at trials. They can pursue appeals after unsatisfactory judgments if they satisfy designated criteria.

In the United States, the Democrats and the Republicans make up the two major national political parties.

cross-references

Democratic Party; Republican Party.

party1
A. †part, portion; side in a contest, etc.; company of persons; person considered spec. as litigant, etc. XIII; (now vulgar) individual, person XV; body of adherents XVI; detachment of troops XVII; gathering, assembly XVIII. ME. parti(e) — (O)F. partie :- Rom. *partīta, sb. use of fem. pp. of L. partīrī PART. Some of the Eng. meanings (‘military party’, ‘political party’) are due to later (O)F. parti :- Rom. *partītum, n. pp.

Party ★★ 1996

Leonor (Silveira) and Rogerio (Samora) are having a 10th anniversary party at their seaside villa. As the celebration continues, Leonor is pursued by aging playboy Michel (Piccoli) while her husband stands idly by. Maybe that has something to do with the secret Rogerio's about to reveal. French and Portuguese with subtitles. 91m/C VHS, DVD . FR PT Leonor Silveira, Michel Piccoli, Rogerio Samora, Irene Papas; D: Manoel de Oliveira; W: Manoel de Oliveira, Augustina Bessa-Luis; C: Renato Berta.

Party

a company or body of persons; a detachment of troops; a group of people travelling together; a gathering for social entertainment; an assemblage or society of persons of the same political opinion. See also clique, set.

Examples : party of birds, 1773; of gentlemen, 1860; of jays; of Jesus Christ, 1502; of order, 1781; of pleasures, 1728; of politicians; of prisoners, 1896; of quadrille, 1726; of whales, 1840.