parting

American  

[pahr-ting] / ˈpɑr tɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that parts.

2. a division or separation.

3. a place of division or separation.

4. a departure or leave-taking.

5. death.

6. something that serves to part or separate things.

7. Mineralogy. a fracture of a crystal along a plane determined by twinning or pressure rather than along a cleavage plane.

8. Metallurgy. parting line.

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adjective

1. given, happening, taken, done, etc., at parting.

   a parting glance.

2. of or relating to parting, leave-taking, departure, or death.

   parting words.

3. ending or taking leave.

   the parting day.

4. dying.

5. dividing or separating.

parting British  

/ ˈpɑːtɪŋ /

noun

1. US, Canadian, and Austral equivalent: part.  the line of scalp showing when sections of hair are combed in opposite directions

2. the act of separating or the state of being separated

3. 1. a departure or leave-taking, esp one causing a final separation

   2. ( as modifier )

      a parting embrace

4. a place or line of separation or division

5. chem a division of a crystal along a plane that is not a cleavage plane

6. a euphemism for death

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adjective

1. literary departing

   the parting day

2. serving to divide or separate

Etymology

Origin of parting

1250–1300; Middle English partyng (gerund). See part, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Example Sentences

But the unicorns, instead of parting, closed in around them, encircling them, butting against Christopher’s chest with their faces.

From Literature

But the Lakers have already shown they are comfortable parting with the former 17th overall pick.

From Los Angeles Times

I look at them both, my father and my mother, and have never felt closer to them than at this time of parting.

From Literature

Zoom in through the dark clouds parting to reveal a figure falling face downward, clearly a female form in stiletto heels descending toward Earth.

From Los Angeles Times

Powell’s term as Fed chair is already supposed to end in May — so the investigation comes more as a parting shot as Powell decides whether to serve out his term as a Fed governor.

From MarketWatch

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