I. NOUN USES, QUANTIFIER USES, AND PHRASES
/pɑ:(r)t/
( parts)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
Please look at category 18 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1.
A part of something is one of the pieces, sections, or elements that it consists of.
I like that part of Cape Town...
Respect is a very important part of any relationship.
N-COUNT : usu N of n
2.
A part for a machine or vehicle is one of the smaller pieces that is used to make it.
...spare parts for military equipment...
= component
N-COUNT
3.
Part of something is some of it.
It was a very severe accident and he lost part of his foot...
Mum and he were able to walk part of the way together...
QUANT : QUANT of sing-n / n-uncount
4.
If you say that something is part one thing, part another, you mean that it is to some extent the first thing and to some extent the second thing.
The television producer today has to be part news person, part educator...
= half
ADV : ADV n , ADV adj
5.
You can use part when you are talking about the proportions of substances in a mixture. For example, if you are told to use five parts water to one part paint, the mixture should contain five times as much water as paint.
Use turpentine and linseed oil, three parts to two.
N-COUNT
6.
A part in a play or film is one of the roles in it which an actor or actress can perform.
Alf Sjoberg offered her a large part in the play he was directing...
He was just right for the part.
= role
N-COUNT
7.
Your part in something that happens is your involvement in it.
If only he could conceal his part in the accident...
= involvement
N-SING : poss N in n
8.
If something or someone is part of a group or organization, they belong to it or are included in it.
I was a part of the team and wanted to remain a part of the team.
N-UNCOUNT : also a N , N of n
9.
The part in someone’s hair is the line running from the front to the back of their head where their hair lies in different directions. ( AM; in BRIT, use parting )
N-COUNT
10.
see also private parts
11.
If something or someone plays a large or important part in an event or situation, they are very involved in it and have an important effect on what happens.
These days work plays an important part in a single woman’s life...
PHRASE : V inflects , oft PHR in n / -ing
12.
If you take part in an activity, you do it together with other people.
Thousands of students have taken part in demonstrations.
PHRASE : V inflects , usu PHR in n / -ing
13.
When you are describing people’s thoughts or actions, you can say for her part or for my part , for example, to introduce what a particular person thinks or does. ( FORMAL )
For my part, I feel elated and close to tears...
PHRASE : PHR with cl
14.
If you talk about a feeling or action on someone’s part , you are referring to something that they feel or do.
There is no need for any further instructions on my part...
PHRASE : PHR with cl / group
15.
For the most part means mostly or usually.
Professors, for the most part, are firmly committed to teaching, not research.
= by and large
PHRASE : PHR with cl
16.
You use in part to indicate that something exists or happens to some extent but not completely. ( FORMAL )
The levels of blood glucose depend in part on what you eat and when you eat...
= partly
PHRASE : PHR with cl / group
17.
If you say that something happened for the best part or the better part of a period of time, you mean that it happened for most of that time.
He had been in Israel for the best part of twenty-four hours...
= most of
PHRASE : PHR n
18.
part and parcel: see parcel
II. VERB USES
/pɑ:(r)t/
( parts, parting, parted)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
Please look at category 5 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1.
If things that are next to each other part or if you part them, they move in opposite directions, so that there is a space between them.
Her lips parted as if she were about to take a deep breath...
He crossed to the window of the sitting-room and parted the curtains.
= open
VERB : V , V n
2.
If you part your hair in the middle or at one side, you make it lie in two different directions so that there is a straight line running from the front of your head to the back.
Picking up a brush, Joanna parted her hair...
His hair was slicked back and neatly parted.
VERB : V n , V-ed
3.
When two people part , or if one person parts from another, they leave each other. ( FORMAL )
He gave me the envelope and we parted...
He has confirmed he is parting from his Swedish-born wife Eva.
V-RECIP : pl-n V , V from n
4.
If you are parted from someone you love, you are prevented from being with them.
I don’t believe Lotte and I will ever be parted...
A stay in hospital may be the first time a child is ever parted from its parents.
= separated
V-RECIP : pl-n be V-ed , be V-ed from n
5.
to part company: see company
see also parting