party

noun

1. A person or group of people constituting one side in a legal proceeding, such as in a legal action or a contract.

   “The contract requires that the party of the first part pay the fee.”

   “if the Jury had found that the party slain had been of English race and nation, it had been adjudged felony”

2. (dated, humorous, slang, vulgar)A person; an individual.

   “He is a queer party.”

   “`These young parties have a way of looking at one, sir,' he would say apologetically, `which I don't call respectable.'”

3. (dated, humorous, slang, vulgar)A person; an individual.

   “I can't possibly be (a) party to that kind of reckless behaviour.”

4. (archaic, broadly)A group of people forming one side in a given dispute, contest, etc., or united in maintaining a cause, policy, or opinion in opposition to others; a faction.

   “A mile back in the forest the tribe had heard the fierce challenge of the gorilla, and, as was his custom when any danger threatened, Kerchak called his people together, partly for mutual protection against a common enemy, since this gorilla might be but one of a party of several, and also to see that all members of the tribe were accounted for.”

5. (archaic, broadly)A group of people forming one side in a given dispute, contest, etc., or united in maintaining a cause, policy, or opinion in opposition to others; a faction.

   “The green party took 12% of the vote.”

   “His party was campaigning successfuly.”

   “"A fine man, that Dunwody, yonder," commented the young captain, as they parted, and as he turned to his prisoner. "We'll see him on in Washington some day.[…]A strong man—a strong one; and a heedless." ¶ "Of what party is he?" she inquired, as though casually.”

   “The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.”

   “In the freer political atmosphere before the 1989 repression, peasant protests against the Party in Henan were sometimes openly discussed. A transcript of a meeting between peasants and cadres in Jili district near Luoyang published in the Peasants’ Daily recorded some vivid complaints.”

6. (archaic, broadly)A group of people forming one side in a given dispute, contest, etc., or united in maintaining a cause, policy, or opinion in opposition to others; a faction.
7. (archaic, broadly, dated)A group of people forming one side in a given dispute, contest, etc., or united in maintaining a cause, policy, or opinion in opposition to others; a faction.
8. (Internet, archaic, broadly)A group of people forming one side in a given dispute, contest, etc., or united in maintaining a cause, policy, or opinion in opposition to others; a faction.
9. (archaic, broadly)A group of people forming one side in a given dispute, contest, etc., or united in maintaining a cause, policy, or opinion in opposition to others; a faction.
10. A detachment of troops selected for a particular service or duty.

    “boarding party”

    “The settlers were attacked early next morning by a scouting party.”

11. A group of people gathered together, especially temporarily, for a specific purpose such as travel or sport.

    “We're expecting a large party from the London office.”

    “Do you have a table available for a party of four?”

    “We made an odd party before the arrival of the Ten, particularly when the Celebrity dropped in for lunch or dinner.”

    “[…] the whole party were still standing and talking together very agreeably, when the sound of horses drew their notice, and Darcy and Bingley were seen riding down the street.”

    “When the line was being surveyed in 1880, the survey party, proceeding along the course of Stock Creek, reached a natural amphitheatre with a rock wall 200 ft. high, in the face of which there was an arched tunnel entrance, [...] into which the stream passed.”

12. A group of people gathered together, especially temporarily, for a specific purpose such as travel or sport.

    “I'm throwing a huge party for my 21st birthday.”

    “You know I’d leave any party for you / 'Cause no party’s so sweet as a party of two”

13. A group of people gathered together, especially temporarily, for a specific purpose such as travel or sport.

    “Tupperware party”

    “lingerie party”

14. A small group of birds or mammals.

    “Small parties of cattle were seen browsing in places where they must with with difficulty have kept their footing[.]”

    “A party of mynas, consisting of several males and females, once selected the top of a low terraced roof, just below my verandah, as a site for courting and quarrelling.”

    “Small parties and flocks close to breeding sites commonly give shrill, high-pitched, trilling screams.”

15. (obsolete)A part or portion.

    “And so the moost party of the castel that was falle doune thorugh that dolorous stroke laye vpon Pellam and balyn thre dayes.”

16. (obsolete)A prospective partner or an offer of marriage.
17. (obsolete)A decision, resolution, agreement.

verb

1. (intransitive)To celebrate at a party, to have fun, to enjoy oneself.

   “We partied until the early hours.”

2. (euphemistic, intransitive, slang)To take recreational drugs.

   ““Miss, do you party?” the boy asked. “What?” Jennifer asked back. “Do you smoke? I'll get you some cheap. One American dollar equals forty Jamaican dollars. I'll get you as much of the stuff as you need.””

3. (intransitive)To engage in flings, to have one-night stands, to sow one's wild oats.
4. (Internet, intransitive)To form a party (with).

   “If you want to beat that monster, you should party with a healer.”

adv

1. (obsolete)Partly.

adj

1. (not-comparable, obsolete)Divided; in part.

   “an escutcheon party per pale”

2. (not-comparable, obsolete, rare)Divided; in part.

   “Now converging, now diverging, these fences presented a striking irregularity of contour. No fence was party, nor any part of any fence.”

3. (not-comparable)Favoring one party; partisan.