n.
- a piece or segment of something which combined with others makes up the whole.
▸a component of a machine:
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aircraft parts.
▸a division of a book, periodical, or broadcast serial.
▸a measure allowing comparison between the amounts of different ingredients used in a mixture:
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one part cement to five parts ballast.
- some but not all of something.
▸
(
parts)
informal a region, especially one not clearly specified or delimited:
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jetting off to foreign parts.
- a role played by an actor or actress.
▸Music a melody or other constituent of harmony assigned to a particular voice or instrument.
- the contribution made by someone to an action or situation.
-
(parts)
archaic abilities.
- N. Amer. a parting in the hair.
v.
- move apart or divide to leave a central space.
-
(also be parted)
leave someone's company.
-
(part with)
give up possession of; hand over.
- separate (the hair on either side of a parting) with a comb.
adv.
partly (often used to contrast different parts of something):
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part jazz, part blues.
Phrase
- be part and parcel of
be an essential element of.
[parcel here is in the archaic sense ‘part, portion’.]
- for my
(or his, her, etc.)
part
as far as I am (or he, she, etc. is) concerned. - in part
to some extent though not entirely. - look the part
have an appearance or style of dress appropriate to a particular role or situation. - a man of
(many)
parts
a man showing great ability in many different areas. - on the part of
(or on my, their, etc. part)
used to ascribe responsibility for something to someone. - part company
cease to be together; go in different directions. - take part
join in or be involved in an activity. - take the part of
give support and encouragement to (someone) in a dispute.
Derivative
Etymology
OE (denoting a part of speech), from L. pars, part-; the verb is from OFr. partir, from L. partire, partiri ‘divide, share’.
