part

noun

1》 a piece or segment of something which combined with others makes up the whole.

    ↘a component of a machine: 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: one part cement to five parts ballast.

2》 some but not all of something.

    ↘(parts) informal a region, especially one not clearly specified or delimited: jetting off to foreign parts.

3》 a role played by an actor or actress.

    ↘Music a melody or other constituent of harmony assigned to a particular voice or instrument.

4》 the contribution made by someone to an action or situation.

5》 (parts) archaic abilities.

6》 N. Amer. a parting in the hair.

verb

1》 move apart or divide to leave a central space.

2》 (also be parted) leave someone's company.

3》 (part with) give up possession of; hand over.

4》 separate (the hair on either side of a parting) with a combining

adverb partly (often used to contrast different parts of something): part jazz, part blues.

Phrases

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.

Derivatives

-parter noun

Origin

OE (denoting a part of speech), from L. pars, part-; the verb is from OFr. partir, from L. partire, partiri 'divide, share'.