Definition: part

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Source: WordNet (r) 1.7

part
     adj : relating to only part of a whole; "part owner" [syn: part]
     n 1: something determined in relation to something that includes
          it; "he wanted to feel a part of something bigger than
          himself"; "I read a portion of the manuscript"; "the
          smaller component is hard to reach" [syn: portion, component
          part, component]
     2: the extended spatial location of something; "the farming
        regions of France"; "religions in all parts of the world";
        "regions of outer space" [syn: region]
     3: so far as concerns the actor specified; "it requires
        vigilance on our part" or "they resisted every effort on
        his part"
     4: something less than the whole of a human artifact: "the rear
        part of the house"; "glue the two parts together" [syn: portion]
     5: one of the portions into which something is regarded as
        divided and which together constitute a whole: "the
        written part of the exam"; "the finance section of the
        company"; "the BBC's engineering division" [syn: section,
         division]
     6: the actions and activities assigned to or required or
        expected of a person or group: "the function of a
        teacher"; "the government must do its part"; "play its
        role" [syn: function, office, role]
     7: a portion of a natural object; "they analyzed the river into
        three parts"; "he needed a piece of granite" [syn: piece]
     8: an actor's portrayal of someone in a play; "she played the
        part of Desdemona" [syn: character, role, theatrical
        role, persona]
     9: assets belonging to or due to or contributed by an
        individual person or group; "he wanted his share in cash"
        [syn: share, portion, percentage]
     10: any one of a number of individual efforts in a common
         endeavor: "I am proud of my contribution to the team's
         success"; "they all did their share of the work" [syn: contribution,
          share]
     11: the melody carried by a particular voice or instrument in
         polyphonic music; "he tried to sing the tenor part" [syn:
          voice]
     12: a line where the hair is parted; "his part was right in the
         middle"
     adv : in part; in some degree; not wholly; "I felt partly to
           blame"; "He was partially paralyzed" [syn: partly, partially]
           [ant: wholly]
     v 1: go one's own away; move apart; "The friends separated after
          the party" [syn: separate, split]
     2: discontinue an association or relation; go different ways;
        "The business partners broke over a tax question"; "The
        couple separated after 25 years of marriage"; "My friend
        and I split up" [syn: separate, split up, split, break,
         break up]
     3: leave; "The family took off for Florida" [syn: depart, start,
         start out, set forth, set off, set out, take off]
     4: come apart; "The two pieces that we had glued separated"
        [syn: separate, divide]
     5: force, take, or pull apart; "He separated the fighting
        children"; "Moses parted the Red Sea" [syn: separate, disunite,
         divide]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Part \Part\, n. [F. part, L. pars, gen. partis; cf. parere to
   bring forth, produce. Cf. Parent, Depart, Parcel,
   Partner, Party, Portion.]
   1. One of the portions, equal or unequal, into which anything
      is divided, or regarded as divided; something less than a
      whole; a number, quantity, mass, or the like, regarded as
      going to make up, with others, a larger number, quantity,
      mass, etc., whether actually separate or not; a piece; a
      fragment; a fraction; a division; a member; a constituent.

            And kept back part of the price, . . . and brought a
            certain part and laid it at the apostles'feet.
                                                  --Acts v. 2.

            Our ideas of extension and number -- do they not
            contain a secret relation of the parts ? --Locke.

            I am a part of all that I have met.   --Tennyson.

   2. Hence, specifically:
      (a) An equal constituent portion; one of several or many
          like quantities, numbers, etc., into which anything is
          divided, or of which it is composed; proportional
          division or ingredient.

                An homer is the tenth part of an ephah. --Ex.
                                                  xvi. 36.

                A thought which, quartered, hath but one part
                wisdom, And ever three parts coward. --Shak.
      (b) A constituent portion of a living or spiritual whole;
          a member; an organ; an essential element.

                All the parts were formed . . . into one
                harmonious body.                  --Locke.

                The pulse, the glow of every part. --Keble.
      (c) A constituent of character or capacity; quality;
          faculty; talent; -- usually in the plural with a
          collective sense. ``Men of considerable parts.''
          --Burke. ``Great quickness of parts.'' --Macaulay.

                Which maintained so politic a state of evil,
                that they will not admit any good part to
                intermingle with them.            --Shak.
      (d) Quarter; region; district; -- usually in the plural.
          ``The uttermost part of the heaven.'' --Neh. i. 9.

                All parts resound with tumults, plaints, and
                fears.                            --Dryden.
      (e) (Math.) Such portion of any quantity, as when taken a
          certain number of times, will exactly make that
          quantity; as, 3 is a part of 12; -- the opposite of
          multiple. Also, a line or other element of a
          geometrical figure.

   3. That which belongs to one, or which is assumed by one, or
      which falls to one, in a division or apportionment; share;
      portion; lot; interest; concern; duty; office.

            We have no part in David.             --2 Sam. xx.
                                                  1.

            Accuse not Nature! she hath done her part; Do thou
            but thine.                            --Milton.

            Let me bear My part of danger with an equal share.
                                                  --Dryden.

   4. Hence, specifically:
      (a) One of the opposing parties or sides in a conflict or
          a controversy; a faction.

                For he that is not against us is on our part.
                                                  --Mark ix. 40.

                Make whole kingdoms take her brother's part.
                                                  --Waller.
      (b) A particular character in a drama or a play; an
          assumed personification; also, the language, actions,
          and influence of a character or an actor in a play;
          or, figuratively, in real life. See To act a part,
          under Act.

                That part Was aptly fitted and naturally
                performed.                        --Shak.

                It was a brute part of him to kill so capital a
                calf.                             --Shak.

                Honor and shame from no condition rise; Act well
                your part, there all the honor lies. --Pope.
      (c) (Mus.) One of the different melodies of a concerted
          composition, which heard in union compose its harmony;
          also, the music for each voice or instrument; as, the
          treble, tenor, or bass part; the violin part, etc.

   For my part, so far as concerns me; for my share.

   For the most part. See under Most, a.

   In good part, as well done; favorably; acceptably; in a
      friendly manner. --Hooker.

   In ill part, unfavorably; with displeasure.

   In part, in some degree; partly.

   Part and parcel, an essential or constituent portion; -- a
      reduplicative phrase. Cf. might and main, kith and
      kin, etc. ``She was . . . part and parcel of the race and
      place.'' --Howitt.

   Part of speech (Gram.), a sort or class of words of a
      particular character; thus, the noun is a part of speech
      denoting the name of a thing; the verb is a part of speech
      which asserts something of the subject of a sentence.

   Part owner (Law), one of several owners or tenants in
      common. See Joint tenant, under Joint.

   Part singing, singing in which two or more of the harmonic
      parts are taken.

   Part song, a song in two or more (commonly four) distinct
      vocal parts. ``A part song differs from a madrigal in its
      exclusion of contrapuntual devices; from a glee, in its
      being sung by many voices, instead of by one only, to each
      part.'' --Stainer & Barrett.

   Syn: Portion; section; division; fraction; fragment; piece;
        share; constituent. See Portion, and Section.
Part \Part\, adv.
   Partly; in a measure. [R.] --Shak.
Part \Part\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Parted; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Parting.] [F. partir, L. partire, partiri, p. p. partitus,
   fr. pars, gen. partis, a part. See Part, n.]
   1. To divide; to separate into distinct parts; to break into
      two or more parts or pieces; to sever. ``Thou shalt part
      it in pieces.'' --Lev. ii. 6.

            There, [celestial love] parted into rainbow hues.
                                                  --Keble.

   2. To divide into shares; to divide and distribute; to allot;
      to apportion; to share.

            To part his throne, and share his heaven with thee.
                                                  --Pope.

            They parted my raiment among them.    --John xix.
                                                  24.

   3. To separate or disunite; to cause to go apart; to remove
      from contact or contiguity; to sunder.

            The Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but
            death part thee and me.               --Ruth i. 17.

            While he blessed them, he was parted from them, and
            carried up into heaven.               --Luke xxiv.
                                                  51.

            The narrow seas that part The French and English.
                                                  --Shak.

   4. Hence: To hold apart; to stand between; to intervene
      betwixt, as combatants.

            The stumbling night did part our weary powers.
                                                  --Shak.

   5. To separate by a process of extraction, elimination, or
      secretion; as, to part gold from silver.

            The liver minds his own affair, . . . And parts and
            strains the vital juices.             --Prior.

   6. To leave; to quit. [Obs.]

            Since presently your souls must part your bodies.
                                                  --Shak.

   To part a cable (Naut.), to break it.

   To part company, to separate, as travelers or companions.
Part \Part\, v. i.
   1. To be broken or divided into parts or pieces; to break; to
      become separated; to go asunder; as, rope parts; his hair
      parts in the middle.

   2. To go away; to depart; to take leave; to quit each other;
      hence, to die; -- often with from.

            He wrung Bassanio's hand, and so they parted.
                                                  --Shak.

            He owned that he had parted from the duke only a few
            hours before.                         --Macaulay.

            His precious bag, which he would by no means part
            from.                                 --G. Eliot.

   3. To perform an act of parting; to relinquish a connection
      of any kind; -- followed by with or from.

            Celia, for thy sake, I part With all that grew so
            near my heart.                        --Waller.

            Powerful hands . . . will not part Easily from
            possession won with arms.             --Milton.

            It was strange to him that a father should feel no
            tenderness at parting with an only son. --A.
                                                  Trollope.

   4. To have a part or share; to partake. [Obs.] ``They shall
      part alike.'' --1 Sam. xxx. 24.