part

¹

[ pahrt ]

noun

1. a portion or division of a whole that is separate or distinct; piece, fragment, fraction, or section; constituent:

   the rear part of the house;

   to glue the two parts together.

   Synonyms: sector, division, ingredient, component

   Antonyms: whole

2. an essential or integral attribute or quality:

   a sense of humor is part of a healthy personality.

3. a section or division of a literary work.
4. a portion, member, or organ of an animal body.
5. any of a number of more or less equal quantities that compose a whole or into which a whole is divided:

   Use two parts sugar to one part cocoa.

6. an allotted portion; share.

   Synonyms: lot, portion, allotment

7. Usually parts.
   1. a region, quarter, or district:

      a journey to foreign parts.

   2. a quality or attribute establishing the possessor as a person of importance or superior worth:

      Being both a diplomat and a successful businesswoman, she is widely regarded as a woman of parts.

8. either of the opposing sides in a contest, question, agreement, etc.
9. the dividing line formed in separating the hair of the head and combing it in different directions.
10. a constituent piece of a machine or tool either included at the time of manufacture or set in place as a replacement for the original piece.
11. Music.
    1. the written or printed matter extracted from the score that a single performer or section uses in the performance of concerted music:

       a horn part.

    2. a section or division of a composition:

       the allegro part of the first movement.

12. participation, interest, or concern in something; role:

    The neighbors must have had some part in planning the surprise party.

13. a person's share in or contribution to some action; duty, function, or office:

    You must do your part if we're to finish by tonight.

    Synonyms: divide, responsibility

14. a character or role acted in a play or sustained in real life.

verb (used with object)

1. to divide (a thing) into parts; sever; break; cleave.

   Antonyms: join

2. to comb (the hair) away from a dividing line.
3. to divide into shares; distribute in parts; apportion.
4. to put or keep apart; separate:

   They parted the calves from the herd.

   Synonyms: detach, disjoin, disconnect, dissociate, sunder, sever

5. Metallurgy.
   1. to separate (silver) from gold in refining.
   2. to cut (one part) away from a piece, as an end from a billet.
   3. to keep the surface of (a casting) separate from the sand of the mold.
6. Obsolete. to leave.

verb (used without object)

1. to be or become divided into parts; break or cleave:

   The oil tanker parted amidships.

2. to go or come apart; separate, as two or more things.
3. to go apart from or leave one another, as persons:

   We'll part no more.

4. to be or become separated from something else (usually followed by from ).
5. Nautical. to break or become torn apart, as a cable.
6. to depart.
7. to die.

adjective

1. of a part; partial:

   part owner.

adverb

1. in part; partly:

   part autobiographical.

verb phrase

1. to give up (property, control, etc.); relinquish:

   to part with one's money.

part.

²

abbreviation for

1. participial.
2. participle.
3. particular.

part

¹

/ pɑːt /

noun

1. a piece or portion of a whole
2. an integral constituent of something

   dancing is part of what we teach

3. 1. an amount less than the whole; bit

      they only recovered part of the money

   2. ( as modifier )

      an old car in part exchange for a new one

4. one of several equal or nearly equal divisions

   mix two parts flour to one part water

5. 1. an actor's role in a play
   2. the speech and actions which make up such a role
   3. a written copy of these
6. a person's proper role or duty

   everyone must do his part

7. often plural region; area

   you're well known in these parts

8. anatomy any portion of a larger structure
9. a component that can be replaced in a machine, engine, etc

   spare parts

10. the line of scalp showing when sections of hair are combed in opposite directions British equivalentparting
11. music
    1. one of a number of separate melodic lines making up the texture of music
    2. one of such melodic lines, which is assigned to one or more instrumentalists or singers

       the soprano solo part

       the viola part

    3. such a line performed from a separately written or printed copy See part song
12. for the most part
    generally
13. for one's part
    as far as one is concerned
14. in part
    to some degree; partly
15. of many parts
    having many different abilities
16. on the part of
    on behalf of
17. part and parcel
    an essential ingredient
18. play a part
    1. to pretend to be what one is not
    2. foll by in to have something to do (with); be instrumental (in)

       to play a part in the king's downfall

19. take in good part
    to respond to (teasing) with good humour
20. take part in
    to participate in
21. take someone's part
    to support someone in an argument

verb

1. to divide or separate from one another; take or come apart

   to part the curtains

   the seams parted when I washed the dress

2. to go away or cause to go away from one another; stop or cause to stop seeing each other

   the couple parted amicably

3. intrfoll byfrom to leave; say goodbye (to)
4. intrfoll bywith to relinquish, esp reluctantly

   I couldn't part with my teddy bear

5. trfoll byfrom to cause to relinquish, esp reluctantly

   he's not easily parted from his cash

6. intr to split; separate

   the path parts here

7. tr to arrange (the hair) in such a way that a line of scalp is left showing
8. intr a euphemism for die 1
9. archaic.
   intr to depart
10. part company
    1. to end a friendship or association, esp as a result of a quarrel; separate

       they were in partnership, but parted company last year

    2. foll by with to leave; go away from; be separated from

adverb

1. to some extent; partly

part.

²

abbreviation for

1. participle
2. particular

Other Words From

• multi·part adjective
• subpart noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of part¹

First recorded before 1000; (noun) Middle English (from Old French, from Latin ), Old English, from Latin part- (stem of pars ) “piece, portion”; (verb) Middle English parten, from Old French partir, from Latin partīre, derivative of pars

Word History and Origins

Origin of part¹

C13: via Old French from Latin partīre to divide, from pars a part

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. for one's part, as far as concerns one:

   For my part, you can do whatever you please.

2. for the most part, with respect to the greatest part; on the whole; generally; usually; mostly:

   They are good students, for the most part.

3. in good part,
   1. without offense; in a good-natured manner; amiably:

      She was able to take teasing in good part.

   2. to a great extent; largely:

      His success is in good part ascribable to dogged determination.

4. in part, in some measure or degree; to some extent; partly; partially:

   The crop failure was due in part to unusual weather conditions.

5. on the part of, Also on one's part.
   1. so far as pertains to or concerns one:

      He expressed appreciation on the part of himself and his colleagues.

   2. as done or manifested by:

      attention on the part of the audience.

6. part and parcel, an essential, necessary, or integral part:

   Her love for her child was part and parcel of her life.

7. part company,
   1. to bid farewell or go separate ways; leave one another.
   2. to dissolve a personal affiliation, relationship, etc., especially because of irreconcilable differences.
   3. to disagree.
8. take part, to participate; share or partake:

   They refused to take part in any of the activities of the community.

9. take someone's part, to align oneself with; side with; champion; back:

   His parents took his part, even though he was obviously in the wrong.

More idioms and phrases containing part

• best part of
• better half (part of)
• discretion is the better part of valor
• do one's bit (part)
• fool and his money are soon parted
• for one's part
• for the most part
• in good part
• in part
• take part
• take someone's part

Synonym Study

Part, piece, portion, segment, section, fraction, fragment refer to something that is less than the whole. Part is the general word: part of a house. A piece suggests a part which is itself a complete unit or it may mean an irregular fragment: a piece of pie; a piece of a broken vase. A portion is a part allotted or assigned to a person, purpose, etc.: a portion of food. A segment is often a part into which something separates naturally: a segment of an orange. Section suggests a relatively substantial, clearly separate part that fits closely with other parts to form a whole: a section of a fishing rod, a book. Fraction suggests a less substantial but still clearly delimited part, often separate from other parts: a fraction of his former income. Fragment suggests a broken, inconsequential, incomplete part, with irregular or imprecise outlines or boundaries: a fragment of broken pottery, of information.

Example Sentences

Jailed in England in 1973, after their part in a series of London car bombings, the sisters go on a hunger strike — they want to be moved to a women’s prison in Ireland — and are force-fed, a process shown with disturbing exactitude.

From Los Angeles Times

Or symbols of freedom for someone rebelling against nuptials she wants no part of?

From Los Angeles Times

But Jarmond’s biggest move was unquestionably pushing the school’s transition from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten as part of its efforts to remain a major player in college sports.

From Los Angeles Times

One can certainly discuss this limited series divorced from other critically acclaimed shows, but it’s more interesting to view it as part of a continuum that speaks to our present, whether thematically or parabolically.

From Salon

But as the disclaimer attached to each episode tells us, and the fictionalized versions of Adams played by Finan and, later, Michael Colgan, insist, all allegations that he was ever part of the IRA are false.

From Salon

Related Words

• any
• chunk
• component
• detail
• element
• factor
• item
• lot
• measure
• member
• piece
• section
• sector
• segment
• share
• side
• unit