/ ˈpɑːti; NAmE ˈpɑːrti/ noun , verb
■ noun ( pl. -ies )
1.
(also Party ) [ C +sing./pl. v . ] a political organization that you can vote for in elections and whose members have the same aims and ideas :
the Democratic and Republican Parties in the United States
She belongs to the Labour Party.
the ruling / opposition party
the party leader / manifesto / policy
2.
[ C ] (especially in compounds) a social occasion, often in a person's home, at which people eat, drink, talk, dance and enjoy themselves :
a birthday / dinner / garden, etc. party
to give / have / throw a party
Did you go to the party ?
party games
—see also hen party , house party , stag party
3.
[ C +sing./pl. v . ] a group of people who are doing sth together such as travelling or visiting somewhere :
The school is taking a party of 40 children to France.
The theatre gives a 10% discount to parties of more than ten.
—see also search party , working party
4.
[ C ] ( formal ) one of the people or groups of people involved in a legal agreement or argument :
the guilty / innocent party
The contract can be terminated by either party with three months' notice.
—see also injured party , third party
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IDIOMS
- be (a) party to sth
■ verb
( par·ties , party·ing , par·tied , par·tied ) [ v ] ( informal ) to enjoy yourself, especially by eating, drinking alcohol and dancing :
They were out partying every night.
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (denoting a body of people united in opposition to others, also in sense 1): from Old French partie , based on Latin partiri divide into parts. Sense 2 dates from the early 18th cent.