partisan 1
— partisanship, partisanry , n.
/pahr"teuh zeuhn, -seuhn/ ; Brit. /pahr'teuh zan"/ , n.
1. an adherent or supporter of a person, group, party, or cause, esp. a person who shows a biased, emotional allegiance.
2. Mil. a member of a party of light or irregular troops engaged in harassing an enemy, esp. a member of a guerrilla band engaged in fighting or sabotage against an occupying army.
adj.
3. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of partisans; partial to a specific party, person, etc.: partisan politics.
4. of, pertaining to, or carried on by military partisans or guerrillas.
Also, partizan .
[ 1545-55; partezan (Tuscan partigiano ), equiv. to part ( e ) faction, PART + -ezan ( -es- -ESE + L -ianus -IAN) ]
Syn. 1. See follower. 3. biased, prejudiced.
Ant. 1. opponent.
partisan 2
/pahr"teuh zeuhn, -seuhn/ , n.
a shafted weapon of the 16th and 17th centuries, having as a head a long spear blade with a pair of curved lobes at the base.
Also, partizan . Cf. halberd .
[ 1550-60; partizane partezana, prob. by ellipsis from * arma partezana weapon borne by members of a faction; see PARTISAN 1 ]