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party

 
Dictionary: par·ty   (pär'tē) pronunciation
 
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n., pl. -ties.
    1. A social gathering especially for pleasure or amusement: a cocktail party.
    2. A group of people who have gathered to participate in an activity. See synonyms at band2.
  2. An established political group organized to promote and support its principles and candidates for public office.
    1. A person or group involved in an enterprise; a participant or an accessory: I refuse to be a party to your silly scheme.
    2. Law. A person or group involved in a legal proceeding as a litigant.
    1. A subscriber to a telephone party line.
    2. A person using a telephone.
  5. A person: “And though Grainger was a spry old party, such steps couldn't be his” (Anthony Hyde).
  6. A selected group of soldiers: a raiding party.
  7. Slang.
    1. An act of sexual intercourse.
    2. An orgy.
adj.
  1. Of, relating to, or participating in an established political organization: party members; party politics.
  2. Suitable for use at a social gathering: party dresses; a party hat.
  3. Characteristic of a pleasurable social gathering: a party atmosphere.
intr.v., -tied, -ty·ing, -ties.

To celebrate or carouse at or as if at a party: That night we partied until dawn.

[Middle English partie, part, side, group, from Old French, from feminine past participle of partir, to divide, from Latin partīre, from pars, part-, part. See part.]

partyer par'ty·er or par'ti·er n.

USAGE NOTE   Party is unexceptionable when used to refer to a participant in a social arrangement, as in She was not named as a party in the conspiracy. It is this sense that underlies the legal use of the term, as when one speaks of the parties to a contract. The legal use has in turn led to the presence of the word in many fixed expressions, such as injured party and third party. But party is also widely used as a general substitute for person, as in Would all parties who left packages at the desk please reclaim them. This usage has been established for many centuries, but in the Victorian era it came to be associated with the language of the semieducated and it has been the subject of many later criticisms. This use of party may have been reinforced in the 20th century by its adoption by telephone operators. In other contexts, when used in earnest, it may be perceived as a superfluous variant for person. But the jocular use of the term is well established, particularly in references such as a wise old party.


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Insurance Dictionary: Party
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Individual or entity who enters into a contract or other legal proceeding, such as a lawsuit.

 
Thesaurus: party
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noun

  1. A large or important social gathering: affair, celebration, festivity, fete, function, gala, occasion, soiree. Informal do. Slang bash. See group, work/play.
  2. A group of people acting together in a shared activity: band2, company, corps, troop, troupe. See performing arts.
  3. A group of individuals united in a common cause: bloc, cartel, coalition, combination, combine, faction, ring1. See group.
  4. One who participates: actor, participant, player. See participate/abstain.
  5. A member of the human race: being, body, creature, homo, human, human being, individual, life, man, mortal, person, personage, soul. See beings.
  6. A number of individuals making up or considered a unit: array, band2, batch, bevy, body, bunch, bundle, clump, cluster, clutch2, collection, group, knot, lot, set2. See group.

 
Idioms: party
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Idioms beginning with party:
party line
party's over, the

See also life of the party.

 
Dental Dictionary: parties
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n.pl

The persons who take part in the performance of any act, who have a direct interest in any contract or conveyance, or who are actively involved in the prosecution and defense of any legal proceeding.

 
Law Encyclopedia: Party
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This entry contains information applicable to United States law only.

Any person involved in a transaction or proceeding. A group of voters organized for the purpose of influencing governmental policy, particularly through the nomination and election of candidates for public office.

Plaintiffs and defendants are parties in lawsuits, for example. They have the right to make claims and defenses, offer proof, and examine and cross-examine witnesses at trials. They can pursue appeals after unsatisfactory judgments if they satisfy designated criteria.

In the United States, the Democrats and the Republicans make up the two major national political parties.

See: Democratic Party; Republican Party.

 
Word Tutor: party
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pronunciation

IN BRIEF: A gathering of people to have a good time. Also: a group of people who share the same political opinions and work together to elect certain people, to promote certain policies.

pronunciation They invited all of their friends to a party to ring in the new year.

 
Wikipedia: Party
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For other uses, see Party (disambiguation).
Sister project Look up celebration in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
People at a birthday party in the United States.

A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, and recreation. A party will typically feature eating and drinking, and often music and dancing as well.

Some parties are held in honor of a specific person, day, or event (e.g., a birthday party, a Super Bowl party, or a St. Patrick’s Day party). Parties of this kind are often called celebrations.

A party is not necessarily a private occasion. Public parties are sometimes held in pubs and bars, and people attending such parties may be charged an admission fee by the host.

Contents

Types of parties

Birthday party

British children at a birthday party.

A birthday party is a celebration of the anniversary of the birth of the person who is being honored. Birthday parties are a feature of many cultures.

In Western cultures, particularly in the United States and Australia, birthday parties are often accompanied by colorful decorations, such as balloons and streamers. A birthday cake is often served with candles that are to be blown out after a “birthday wish” has been made. While the birthday cake is being brought to the table, the song Happy Birthday to You is sung by the guests. Wealthy people and celebrities may hire an event management agency or a party service to organize a birthday party.

A child’s birthday party may be held at his/her home or in a public place. Soft drinks and both sweet and savory foods are typically served to the guests. In many cultures, a birthday cake is served. Birthday parties for children often feature entertainment, costumes, and a theme. Adults’ birthday parties in Western countries are often held in bars or nightclubs.

Surprise party

A surprise party is a party that is not made known beforehand to the person in whose honor it is being held.

Birthday surprise parties are the most common kind of surprise party. At most such parties, the guests will arrive an hour or so before the honored person arrives. They conceal themselves from view, and when the honored person enters the room, they leap from hiding and all shout “Surprise!!”

For some surprise birthday parties, it is considered to be a good tactic to shock the honored person. Streamers, silly string, and balloons may be used for this purpose. Evidence of a party, such as decorations and balloons, are not made visible from the exterior of the home, so that the honored person will suspect nothing.[1]

Parties for teenagers and young adults

Parties that are held by teenagers and young adults include house parties, dance parties, and outdoor parties. The term “house party” refers to a party where a large group of people get together at a private home to socialize. House parties that involve the drinking of beer pumped from a keg are called keg parties or “keggers.” These parties are popular in the United States and Australia but are illegal for persons under the legal drinking age. Sometimes, even older partygoers run afoul of the law for having provided alcoholic beverages to minors. Arrests may also be made for violating a noise ordinance, for disorderly conduct,[2] and even for operating a “blind pig.”

Dance parties and gatherings in bars or community centers where the guests dance to house music, techno music, or disco. The music for dance parties is usually selected and played by a disc jockey.

Outdoor parties include bush parties and beach parties. Bush parties (also called “field parties”) are held in a secluded area of a forest (“bush”), where friends gather to drink and talk. These parties are often held around a bonfire. Beach parties are held on a sandy shoreline of a lake, river, or sea, and also often feature a bonfire.

School-related parties for teenagers and young adults include proms and graduation parties, which are held in honor of someone who has recently graduated from a school or university.

A crush party is a party in a sorority or fraternity where the sisters or brothers are given a certain number of invitations (according to their “crushes”). These are passed on to friends outside of the sorority/fraternity and given to the “crushes” (while keeping secret the name of the inviter). There may be some sort of disclosure at the party, so that the guests can find out who has a crush on her/him.

A spin-off of dance parties, the rave involves dancing to loud house music or techno music. Rave parties may be attended by a few hundred people in a club or by thousands in a large warehouse.

Singles dance party and mixer

A singles-party game at the Golden Gate Yacht Club in San Francisco.

A singles dance party and mixer is a party which is organized for people who are not married and who want to find a partner for friendship, dating, or sex.

Usually a “mixer game” is played, to make it easy for people to meet each other. For example, each guest may be given a card with an inspiring quotation on it. The game is to find someone of the opposite sex who has the same quotation. Couples who have matching cards may be given a small prize.

These parties are sponsored by various organizations, both non-profit and for-profit.

Marriage-related parties

Dinner party

An invitation to a dinner party, 1818.

A dinner party is a social gathering at which people eat dinner together, usually in the host’s home. At the most formal dinner parties, the dinner is served on a dining table with place settings. Dinner parties are often preceded by a cocktail hour[3] in a living room or bar, where guests drink alcoholic beverages while mingling and conversing.

At less formal dinner parties, a buffet is provided. Guests choose food from the buffet and eat while standing up and conversing. Women guests may wear cocktail dresses; men may wear blazers.

At some informal dinner parties, the host may ask guests to bring food or beverages (a main dish, a side dish, a dessert, or appetizers). A party of this type is called a potluck or potluck dinner. In the United States, potlucks are very often held in churches and community centers.

Tea party

Main article: Tea party

In Anglo-American culture, a tea party is a formal gathering for afternoon tea. These parties are tradtionally attended only by women, but men may also be invited.

Tea parties are often characterized by the use of prestigious tableware, such as bone china and silver. The table, whatever its size or cost, is made to look its prettiest, with cloth napkins and matching cups and plates.

In addition to tea, larger parties may serve punch or, in cold weather, hot chocolate. The tea is accompanied by a variety of easily managed foods. Thin sandwiches such as cucumber or tomato, cake slices, buns, and cookies are all common choices.

Housewarming party

Main article: Housewarming party

A housewarming party may be held when a family, couple, or person moves into a new house or apartment. It is an occasion for the hosts to show their new home to their friends. Housewarming parties are typically informal and do not include any planned activities other than a tour of the new house or apartment. Invited family members and friends may bring gifts for the new home.

Block party

Main articles: Block party and Street party

A block party is a public party that is attended by the residents of a specific city block or neighborhood. These parties are typically held in a city street that has been closed to traffic to accommodate the party.

At some block parties, attendees are free to pass from house to house, socializing, and often drinking alcoholic beverages.

Farewell party

Sister project Look up farewell in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

In many cultures, it is customary to throw a farewell party in honor of someone who is moving away or departing on a long trip.

Cast party

A cast party is a celebration following the final performance of a theatric event, such as a play, a musical, or an opera. A party of this kind may also be held following the end of shooting for a motion picture (called a “wrap party”) or after the season’s final episode of a television series. Cast parties are traditionally held for most theater performances, both professional and amateur.

Invited guests are usually restricted to performers, crew members, and a few others who did not participate in the performance.

Pre-party

A pre-party is a party that is held immediately before some event, such as a school dance, a wedding, a birthday party, or a bar mitzvah. These parties are usually of short duration and sometimes involve getting ready for the event (e.g., the guests may put on makeup or costumes). Guests usually leave at the same time and arrive at the event together.

After-party

An after-party is a party that is held after a musical or theatric performance or after some other event, such as a wedding or a school dance. Guests are usually limited to friends of the host.

Fundraising party

A fundraising party, or fundraiser, is a party that is held for the purpose of collecting money that will be given to some person or to some institution, such as a school, charity, business, or political campaign. These parties are usually formal and consist of a dinner followed by speeches or by a presentation extolling whatever the money is being raised for.

It is very common to charge an admission fee for parties of this kind. This fee may be as high as several thousand dollars, especially if money is being raised for a political campaign.

Parties on special days

Australia

Canada

Christian

India

International

Iran

Ireland

Islamic

Jewish

Scotland

United Kingdom

United States

Famous parties

Other parties

An offshoot of the classic masquerade ball. The costumes of guests provide the theme of the event.
A social gathering during which the guests play party games.
A party that involves multi-player computer games and uses a Local Area Network.
A party that is hosted in a private home for the purpose of supporting a particular candidate, political party, or ballot measure, or to share information and opinions about an upcoming election.
  • A pool party
A party in which the guests swim in a private swimming pool.
A party for which the guests are invited to stay overnight at the home of the host. These parties are only for teenagers or young children.
A party in which the guests wear togas. Toga parties were popularized by the movie Animal House.

See also

References

  1. ^ Surprise Party Ideas From Evite
  2. ^ Law would tag beer kegs to fight use by the young “While it affects all adults who buy kegs, the proposed law is aimed at the 21-to-23-year-old crowd, particularly college students, who don’t think twice about buying a keg or 10 for a weekend bash.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 2001-11-04.
  3. ^ The Cocktail Hour: One Man’s Strong and Unyielding Opinions

Bibliography

  • Tung, Jennifer (2005). In Style Parties: The Complete Guide to Easy, Elegant Entertaining. New York: Melcher Media, Inc. ISBN 978-1-932994-11-7. 

External links


This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
Translations: Party
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Dansk (Danish)
1.
n. - selskab, parti, gruppe, medskyldig
adj. - fest-, parti-, gruppe-
v. intr. - feste

idioms:

  • be party to    være delagtig i
  • party line    partiparole
  • party piece    yndlingsnummer
  • party political    partipolitisk
  • party politics    partipolitik
  • party pooper    lyseslukker
  • party spirit    partiånd
  • throw a party    holde en fest

2.
adj. - kommandofarvet

Nederlands (Dutch)
feest, partij, groep, persoon, feesten, verdeeld in verschillend gekleurde delen

Français (French)
1.
n. - fête, soirée, réception, groupe, (Mil) détachement, (Pol) parti, (Jur) partie, complice de (crime, violence), individu (hum)
adj. - de fête, de société, (Pol) du parti
v. intr. - faire la fête, festoyer

idioms:

  • be a party to    être partie prenante, être complice de
  • be party to    être partie prenante
  • party line    (Pol, fig) ligne du parti, (Télécom) ligne commune à plusieurs abonnés
  • party piece    (faire son) numéro
  • party political    exploité à des fins politiques
  • party politics    politique politicienne
  • party pooper    rabat-joie, trouble-fête
  • party spirit    esprit du/de parti, joies de la fête
  • throw a party    organiser une fête (surprise)

2.
adj. - (Hérald) divisé en plusieurs nuances

Deutsch (German)
1.
n. - Party, Gesellschaft, Beteiligter, Gruppe, Partei
adj. - parteiisch, Partei...
v. - ein Fest feiern

idioms:

  • be a party to    an etwas beteiligt sein
  • be party to    sich an etwas beteiligen
  • party line    Parteilinie
  • party piece    etwas, das man auf einer Party zum Besten gibt
  • party political    parteipolitisch
  • party politics    Parteipolitik
  • party pooper    Partymuffel
  • party spirit    Parteigeist, Parteistimmung
  • throw a party    (ugs.) eine Party schmeißen

2.
adj. - in gleiche Teile geteilt

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - πολιτικό κόμμα, πάρτι, ομάδα, παρέα, συντροφιά, απόσπασμα, άτομο, πρόσωπο, λεγάμενος, (νομ.) διάδικος, μέτοχος, συμμέτοχος, ενεχόμενος, συμβαλλόμενος
v. - διασκεδάζω σε πάρτι

idioms:

  • be party to    μετέχω σε
  • party line    σύνορο κτήματος, κοινή τηλεφωνική γραμμή (κν. ντούπλεξ)
  • party piece    δεξιοτεχνικό κόλπο για εντυπωσιασμό σε κοινωνική συναναστροφή
  • party political    πολιτικό κόμμα
  • party politics    κομματική πολιτική
  • party pooper    ξενέρωτος, σπαστικός τύπος
  • party spirit    όρεξη για διασκέδαση, κομματική αλληλεγγύη
  • throw a party    δίνω πάρτι

Italiano (Italian)
fare festa, festa, gruppo, partito

idioms:

  • be party to    far parte di
  • become a party to    entrare a far parte di
  • garden party    ricevimento all'aperto
  • party line    linea di partito
  • party piece    spettacolo
  • party political    della politica di partito
  • party politics    politica di partito
  • party pooper    guastafeste
  • party spirit    spirito di gruppo
  • throw a party    dare una festa

Português (Portuguese)
n. - festa (f), grupo (m), excursão (f), partido (m), parte (f)
v. - festejar

idioms:

  • be party to    ter parte com
  • become a party to    envolver-se com
  • garden party    festa no jardim
  • party line    linha partidária, extensão telefônica
  • party piece    música, piada, etc. "de sucesso" que se apresenta em toda festa
  • party political    política partidária
  • party politics    política partidária
  • party pooper    estraga prazeres
  • party spirit    espírito de festa
  • throw a party    dar uma festa

Русский (Russian)
гулять, вечеринка, партия, участник

idioms:

  • be party to    принимать участие в
  • become a party to    принять участие в
  • garden party    вечеринка на открытом воздухе, прием на открытом воздухе
  • party line    линия партии, открытая линия
  • party piece    коронный номер
  • party political    используемый в политических целях
  • party politics    политиканство
  • party pooper    кайфоломщик
  • party spirit    в духе верности партии, в хорошем духе для приема
  • throw a party    устроить вечеринку

Español (Spanish)
1.
n. - fiesta, tertulia, guateque, grupo, agrupación, pelotón, destacamento, partido, facción
adj. - de partido, de varios en común, que divide
v. intr. - ir a fiestas, dar fiestas

idioms:

  • be a party to    tener parte en, ser partícipe de, ser cómplice en, ser parte de
  • be party to    tener parte en, ser partícipe de, ser cómplice en
  • party line    línea política del partido, línea telefónica compartida
  • party piece    numerito de fiesta
  • party political    relativo a partidos políticos
  • party politics    política de partidos, politiqueo
  • party pooper    aguafiestas
  • party spirit    partidismo
  • throw a party    ofrecer una fiesta

2.
adj. - (heráldica) dividido en partes de diferentes tinturas

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - parti, sällskap, grupp, bjudning, fest, kontrahent, deltagare, typ
v. - festa

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
社交聚会, 政党, 党派, 一团人, 一行人, 一伙人, 当事人, 一方, 聚会的, 社交聚会的, 共有的, 共同的, 政党的, 党派的, 垂直分成不同部分的, 参加或举行社交聚会, 尽情欢乐

idioms:

  • be party to    参予...
  • party line    政党的路线, 党派路线, 同线电话, 分界线
  • party piece    助兴表演
  • party political    党派政治的, 政党政治的
  • party politics    政党政治
  • party pooper    令人扫兴的人, 煞风景的人
  • party spirit    党派精神, 对社交聚会的热中
  • throw a party    举行一个宴会

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 社交聚會, 政黨, 黨派, 一團人, 一行人, 一伙人, 當事人, 一方
adj. - 聚會的, 社交聚會的, 共有的, 共同的, 政黨的, 黨派的, 垂直分成不同部分的
v. intr. - 參加或舉行社交聚會, 盡情歡樂

idioms:

  • be party to    參予...
  • party line    政黨的路線, 黨派路線, 同線電話, 分界線
  • party piece    助興表演
  • party political    黨派政治的, 政黨政治的
  • party politics    政黨政治
  • party pooper    令人掃興的人, 煞風景的人
  • party spirit    黨派精神, 對社交聚會的熱中
  • throw a party    舉行一個宴會

한국어 (Korean)
1.
n. - 모임, 당파, 일행
adj. - ~에 관계하는, 파티에 어울리는
v. intr. - 파티에 나가다, 법석을 떨다

idioms:

  • be party to    ~의 편을 들다
  • throw a party    파티를 열다

2.
adj. - 정당의, 당파적인

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - パーティー, 政党, 党派の, 当事者, 相手, 一団, 一行, 仲間, 人

idioms:

  • be party to    加わる
  • become a party to    関係する
  • party line    境界線, 共同回線, 共同加入線, 政策方針
  • party piece    得意の出し物
  • party political    政党, ごまをする
  • party politics    党のための政治
  • party pooper    興ざましな奴
  • party spirit    党派心

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) حزب, حزب سياسي, فريق, طرف (فعل) يدخل في حزب, يصبح طرفا في‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮מפלגה, מסיבה, צד (בהסכם), קבוצה, שותף, אדם‬
adj. - ‮מעורב‬
v. intr. - ‮ערך מסיבה או השתתף בה‬
adj. - ‮מחולק לחלקים הצבועים בצבעים שונים (שלט אבירים)‬

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Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Insurance Dictionary. Dictionary of Insurance Terms. Copyright © 2000 by Barron's Educational Series, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Thesaurus. Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary Copyright © 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Idioms. The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Dental Dictionary. Mosby's Dental Dictionary. Copyright © 2004 by Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
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