part

[ pahrt ]

/ pɑrt /

noun

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.

an essential or integral attribute or quality: a sense of humor is part of a healthy personality.

a section or division of a literary work.

a portion, member, or organ of an animal body.

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.

an allotted portion; share.

Usually parts.

a region, quarter, or district: a journey to foreign parts.
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.

either of the opposing sides in a contest, question, agreement, etc.

the dividing line formed in separating the hair of the head and combing it in different directions.

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.

Music.

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.
a section or division of a composition: the allegro part of the first movement.

participation, interest, or concern in something; role: The neighbors must have had some part in planning the surprise party.

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.

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

verb (used with object)

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

to comb (the hair) away from a dividing line.

to divide into shares; distribute in parts; apportion.

to put or keep apart; separate: They parted the calves from the herd.

Metallurgy.

to separate (silver) from gold in refining.
to cut (one part) away from a piece, as an end from a billet.
to keep the surface of (a casting) separate from the sand of the mold.

Obsolete. to leave.

verb (used without object)

to be or become divided into parts; break or cleave: The oil tanker parted amidships.

to go or come apart; separate, as two or more things.

to go apart from or leave one another, as persons: We'll part no more.

to be or become separated from something else (usually followed by from).

Nautical. to break or become torn apart, as a cable.

to depart.

to die.

adjective

partial; of a part: part owner.

adverb

in part; partly: part black.

Verb Phrases

part with, to give up (property, control, etc.); relinquish: to part with one's money.

QUIZZES

DO YOU KNOW THIS VOCABULARY FROM "THE HANDMAID'S TALE"?

"The Handmaid's Tale" was required reading for many of us in school. Everyone else has probably watched the very popular and addictive TV show. Do you remember this vocabulary from the book, and do you know what these terms mean?

Question 1 of 10

decorum

the act of or need for making up one's mind.

dignified propriety of behavior, speech, dress, etc.

a company of singers, especially an organized group employed in church service.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms for part

for one's part, as far as concerns one: For my part, you can do whatever you please.

for the most part, with respect to the greatest part; on the whole; generally; usually; mostly: They are good students, for the most part.

in good part,

without offense; in a good-natured manner; amiably: She was able to take teasing in good part.
to a great extent; largely: His success is in good part ascribable to dogged determination.

in part, in some measure or degree; to some extent; partly; partially: The crop failure was due in part to unusual weather conditions.

on the part of,

so far as pertains to or concerns one: He expressed appreciation on the part of himself and his colleagues.
as done or manifested by: attention on the part of the audience.

Also on one's part.

part and parcel, an essential, necessary, or integral part: Her love for her child was part and parcel of her life.

part company,

to bid farewell or go separate ways; leave one another.
to dissolve a personal affiliation, relationship, etc., especially because of irreconcilable differences.
to disagree.

take part, to participate; share or partake: They refused to take part in any of the activities of the community.

take someone's part, to align oneself with; support; defend: His parents took his part, even though he was obviously in the wrong.

Origin of part

before 1000; (noun) Middle English (< Old French < L), Old English < Latin part- (stem of pars) piece, portion; (v.) Middle English parten < Old French partir < Latin partīre, derivative of pars

SYNONYMS FOR part

1 component, ingredient, division, sector. 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.

6 apportionment, lot.

13 responsibility.

18 sever, sunder, dissociate, disconnect, disjoin, detach.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR part ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR part

1 whole.

15 join.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR part ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM part

mul·ti·part, adjectivesub·part, noun

Words nearby part

parson's nose, parsonage, parsons, parsons table, parsva, part, part and parcel, part company, part exchange, part music, part of fortune

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

British Dictionary definitions for for the most part

part

/ (pɑːt) /

noun

a piece or portion of a whole

an integral constituent of somethingdancing is part of what we teach

an amount less than the whole; bitthey only recovered part of the money
(as modifier)an old car in part exchange for a new one

one of several equal or nearly equal divisionsmix two parts flour to one part water

an actor's role in a play
the speech and actions which make up such a role
a written copy of these

a person's proper role or dutyeveryone must do his part

(often plural) region; areayou're well known in these parts

anatomy any portion of a larger structure

a component that can be replaced in a machine, engine, etcspare parts

US, Canadian and Australian the line of scalp showing when sections of hair are combed in opposite directionsBritish equivalent: parting

music

one of a number of separate melodic lines making up the texture of music
one of such melodic lines, which is assigned to one or more instrumentalists or singersthe viola part; the soprano solo part
such a line performed from a separately written or printed copySee part song

for the most part generally

for one's part as far as one is concerned

in part to some degree; partly

of many parts having many different abilities

on the part of on behalf of

part and parcel an essential ingredient

play a part

to pretend to be what one is not
(foll by in) to have something to do (with); be instrumental (in)to play a part in the king's downfall

take in good part to respond to (teasing) with good humour

take part in to participate in

take someone's part to support someone in an argument

verb

to divide or separate from one another; take or come apartto part the curtains; the seams parted when I washed the dress

to go away or cause to go away from one another; stop or cause to stop seeing each otherthe couple parted amicably

(intr foll by from) to leave; say goodbye (to)

(intr foll by with) to relinquish, esp reluctantlyI couldn't part with my teddy bear

(tr foll by from) to cause to relinquish, esp reluctantlyhe's not easily parted from his cash

(intr) to split; separatethe path parts here

(tr) to arrange (the hair) in such a way that a line of scalp is left showing

(intr) a euphemism for die 1 (def. 1)

(intr) archaic to depart

part company

to end a friendship or association, esp as a result of a quarrel; separatethey were in partnership, but parted company last year
(foll by with) to leave; go away from; be separated from

adverb

to some extent; partly

Word Origin for part

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for for the most part

part

[ pärt ]

n.

A portion, division, piece, or segment of a whole.

Any of several equal portions or fractions that can constitute a whole or into which a whole can be divided.

An organ, member, or other division of an organism.

An anatomical part; pars.

parts The external genitalia.

Idioms and Phrases with for the most part (1 of 2)

for the most part

In general, usually. For example, For the most part she is very good-humored, or The committee members agree for the most part. [Late 1300s] Also see the synonyms by and large; on the whole.

Idioms and Phrases with for the most part (2 of 2)

part

In addition to the idioms beginning with part

part and parcel
part company
parting of the ways
parting shot
part with
party line

also see:

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

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part