noun pl. parties
- a group of people working together to establish or promote particular theories or principles of government which they hold in common; esp., an organized political group which seeks to elect its candidates to office and thus to direct government policies
- any group of persons acting together; specif.,
- a group sent out on a task or mission: a surveying party
- a group meeting together socially to accomplish a task: a quilting party
- a group assembled for amusement or recreation: a fishing party
- a gathering for social entertainment, or the entertainment itself, often of a specific nature: a birthday party, cocktail party
- a person who participates or is concerned in an action, proceeding, plan, etc.: often with to: to be a party to a conspiracy
- either of the persons or sides concerned in a legal matter
- Informal a person: the party who telephoned
Origin:
ME partie < OFr < partir, to divide < L partiri < pars, part
intransitive verb partied, partying
- ☆ to attend or hold social parties
- Informal to take part in social activity, as at a party, in an unrestrained, often boisterous manner, usually while drinking alcoholic beverages, taking drugs, etc.