Parter noun One who, or which, parts or separates. Sir P. Sidney.

Parterre noun [ French, from par on, by (L. per )+ terre earth, ground, Latin terra . See Terrace .]
1. (Hort.) An ornamental and diversified arrangement of beds or plots, in which flowers are cultivated, with intervening spaces of gravel or turf for walking on.

2. The pit of a theater; the parquet. [ France]

Partheniad noun [ See Parthenic .] A poem in honor of a virgin. [ Obsolete]

Parthenic adjective [ Greek ..., from ... a maid, virgin.] Of or pertaining to the Spartan Partheniæ, or sons of unmarried women.

Parthenogenesis noun [ Greek parqe`nos a virgin + English genesis .]
1. (Biol.) The production of new individuals from virgin females by means of ova which have the power of developing without the intervention of the male element; the production, without fertilization, of cells capable of germination. It is one of the phenomena of alternate generation. Confer Heterogamy , and Metagenesis .

2. (Botany) The production of seed without fertilization, believed to occur through the nonsexual formation of an embryo extraneous to the embrionic vesicle.

Parthenogenetic adjective (Biol.) Of, pertaining to, or produced by, parthenogenesis; as, parthenogenetic forms. -- Par`the*no*ge*net"ic*al*ly , adverb

Parthenogenitive adjective (Biol.) Parthenogenetic.

Parthenogeny noun (Biol.) Same as Parthenogenesis .

Parthenon noun [ Latin , from Greek Parqenw`n , from parqe`nos a virgin, i. e., Athene, the Greek goddess called also Pallas.] A celebrated marble temple of Athene, on the Acropolis at Athens. It was of the pure Doric order, and has had an important influence on art.

Parthenope (pär*thĕn"o*pē) noun [ Latin , the name of a Siren, from Greek Parqeno`pn .]
1. (Gr. Myth.) One of the Sirens, who threw herself into the sea, in despair at not being able to beguile Ulysses by her songs.

2. One of the asteroids between Mars and Jupiter, discovered by M. de Gasparis in 1850.

Parthian adjective Of or pertaining to ancient Parthia, in Asia. -- noun A native of Parthia.

Parthian arrow , an arrow discharged at an enemy when retreating from him, as was the custom of the ancient Parthians; hence, a parting shot.

Partial adjective [ French, from Late Latin partials , from Latin pars , gen. partis , a part; confer (for sense 1) French partiel . See Part , noun ]
1. Of, pertaining to, or affecting, a part only; not general or universal; not total or entire; as, a partial eclipse of the moon. " Partial dissolutions of the earth." T. Burnet.

2. Inclined to favor one party in a cause, or one side of a question, more then the other; baised; not indifferent; as, a judge should not be partial .

Ye have been partial in the law.

Mal. ii. 9.

3. Having a predelection for; inclined to favor unreasonably; foolishly fond. "A partial parent." Pope.

Not partial to an ostentatious display.

Sir W. Scott.

4. (Botany) Pertaining to a subordinate portion; as, a compound umbel is made up of a several partial umbels; a leaflet is often supported by a partial petiole.

Partial differentials , Partial differential coefficients , Partial differentiation , etc. (of a function of two or more variables), the differentials, differential coefficients, differentiation etc., of the function, upon the hypothesis that some of the variables are for the time constant. -- Partial fractions (Alg.) , fractions whose sum equals a given fraction. -- Partial tones (Music) , the simple tones which in combination form an ordinary tone; the overtones, or harmonics, which, blending with a fundamental tone, cause its special quality of sound, or timbre , or tone color. See, also, Tone .

Partialism noun Partiality; specifically (Theol.) , the doctrine of the Partialists.

Partialist noun
1. One who is partial. [ R.]

2. (Theol.) One who holds that the atonement was made only for a part of mankind, that is, for the elect.

Partiality noun [ Confer French partialité .]
1. The quality or state of being partial; inclination to favor one party, or one side of a question, more than the other; undue bias of mind.

2. A predilection or inclination to one thing rather than to others; special taste or liking; as, a partiality for poetry or painting. Roget.

Partialize transitive verb & i. To make or be partial. [ R.]

Partially adverb
1. In part; not totally; as, partially true; the sun partially eclipsed. Sir T. Browne.

2. In a partial manner; with undue bias of mind; with unjust favor or dislike; as, to judge partially . Shak.

Partibility noun [ From Partible .] The quality or state of being partible; divisibility; separability; as, the partibility of an inherttance.

Partible adjective [ Latin partibilis , from partire to part, divide, from Latin pars : confer French partible . See Part .] Admitting of being parted; divisible; separable; susceptible of severance or partition; as, an estate of inheritance may be partible . "Make the molds partible ." Bacon.

Participable adjective Capable of being participated or shared. [ R.] Norris.

Participant adjective [ Latin participans , present participle of participare : confer French participant . See Participate .] Sharing; participating; having a share of part. Bacon.

Participant noun A participator; a partaker.

Participants in their . . . mysterious rites.

Bp. Warburton.

Participantly adverb In a participant manner.

Participate adjective [ Latin participatus , past participle of participare to participate; pars , partis , part + capere to take. See Part , and Capacious .] Acting in common; participating. [ R.] Shak.

Participate intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Participated ; present participle & verbal noun Participating .] To have a share in common with others; to take a part; to partake; -- followed by in , formely by of ; as, to participate in a debate. Shak.

So would he participate of their wants.

Hayward.

Mine may come when men
With angels may participate .

Milton.

Participate transitive verb
1. To partake of; to share in; to receive a part of. [ R.]

Fit to participate all rational delight.

Milton.

2. To impart, or give, or share of. [ Obsolete] Drayton.

Participation noun [ French participation , Latin participatio .]
1. The act or state of participating, or sharing in common with others; as, a participation in joy or sorrows.

These deities are so by participation .

Bp. Stillingfleet.

What an honor, that God should admit us into such a blessed participation of himself!

Atterbury.

2. Distribution; division into shares. [ Obsolete] Raleigh.

3. community; fellowship; association. [ Obsolete] Shak.

Participative adjective [ Confer French participatif .] Capable of participating.

Participator noun [ Latin ] One who participates, or shares with another; a partaker.

Participial adjective [ Latin participialis : confer English participal . See Participle .] Having, or partaking of, the nature and use of a participle; formed from a participle; as, a participial noun. Lowth.

Participial noun A participial word.

Participialize transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Participialized ; present participle & verbal noun Participializing .] To form into, or put in the form of, a participle. [ R.]

Participially adverb In the sense or manner of a participle.

Participle noun [ French participe , Latin participium , from particeps sharing, participant; pars , gen. partis, a part + capere to take. See Participate .]
1. (Gram.) A part of speech partaking of the nature both verb and adjective; a form of a verb, or verbal adjective, modifying a noun, but taking the adjuncts of the verb from which it is derived. In the sentences: a letter is written ; being asleep he did not hear; exhausted by toil he will sleep soundly, -- written , being , and exhausted are participles .

By a participle , [ I understand] a verb in an adjectival aspect.

Earle.

» Present participles , called also imperfect , or incomplete , participles , end in -ing . Past participles , called also perfect , or complete , participles , for the most part end in -ed , -d , -t , -en , or -n . A participle when used merely as an attribute of a noun, without reference to time, is called an adjective , or a participial adjective ; as, a written constitution; a rolling stone; the exhausted army. The verbal noun in -ing has the form of the present participle. See Verbal noun , under Verbal , adjective

2. Anything that partakes of the nature of different things. [ Obsolete]

The participles or confines between plants and living creatures.

Bacon.

Particle noun [ Latin particula , dim of pars , gen partis , a part: confer French particule . See Part , and confer Parcel .]
1. A minute part or portion of matter; a morsel; a little bit; an atom; a jot; as, a particle of sand, of wood, of dust.

The small size of atoms which unite
To make the smallest particle of light.

Blackmore.

2. Any very small portion or part; the smallest portion; as, he has not a particle of patriotism or virtue.

The houses had not given their commissioners authority in the least particle to recede.

Clarendon.

3. (R. C. Ch.) (a) A crumb or little piece of concecrated host. (b) The smaller hosts distributed in the communion of the laity. Bp. Fitzpatrick.

4. (Gram.) A subordinate word that is never inflected (a preposition, conjunction, interjection); or a word that can not be used except in compositions; as, ward in back ward , ly in love ly .

Particolored adjective Same as Party-colored .

Particular adjective [ Middle English particuler , French particulier , Latin particularis . See Particle .]
1. Relating to a part or portion of anything; concerning a part separated from the whole or from others of the class; separate; sole; single; individual; specific; as, the particular stars of a constellation. Shak.

[ /Make] each particular hair to stand an end,
Like quills upon the fretful porpentine.

Shak.

Seken in every halk and every herne
Particular sciences for to lerne.

Chaucer.

2. Of or pertaining to a single person, class, or thing; belonging to one only; not general; not common; hence, personal; peculiar; singular. "Thine own particular wrongs." Shak.

Wheresoever one plant draweth such a particular juice out of the earth.

Bacon.

3. Separate or distinct by reason of superiority; distinguished; important; noteworthy; unusual; special; as, he brought no particular news; she was the particular belle of the party.

4. Concerned with, or attentive to, details; minute; circumstantial; precise; as, a full and particular account of an accident; hence, nice; fastidious; as, a man particular in his dress.

5. (Law) (a) Containing a part only; limited; as, a particular estate, or one precedent to an estate in remainder. (b) Holding a particular estate; as, a particular tenant. Blackstone.

6. (Logic) Forming a part of a genus; relatively limited in extension; affirmed or denied of a part of a subject; as, a particular proposition; -- opposed to universal : e. g. ( particular affirmative) Some men are wise; ( particular negative) Some men are not wise.

Particular average . See under Average . -- Particular Baptist , one of a branch of the Baptist denomination the members of which hold the doctrine of a particular or individual election and reprobation. -- Particular lien (Law) , a lien, or a right to retain a thing, for some charge or claim growing out of, or connected with, that particular thing. -- Particular redemption , the doctrine that the purpose, act, and provisions of redemption are restricted to a limited number of the human race. See Calvinism .

Syn. -- Minute; individual; respective; appropriate; peculiar; especial; exact; specific; precise; critical; circumstantial. See Minute .

Particular noun
1. A separate or distinct member of a class, or part of a whole; an individual fact, point, circumstance, detail, or item, which may be considered separately; as, the particulars of a story.

Particulars which it is not lawful for me to reveal.

Bacon.

It is the greatest interest of particulars to advance the good of the community.

L'Estrange.

2. Special or personal peculiarity, trait, or character; individuality; interest, etc. [ Obsolete]

For his particular I'll receive him gladly.

Shak.

If the particulars of each person be considered.

Milton.

Temporal blessings, whether such as concern the public . . . or such as concern our particular .

Whole Duty of Man.

3. (Law) One of the details or items of grounds of claim; -- usually in the pl .; also, a bill of particulars; a minute account; as, a particular of premises.

The reader has a particular of the books wherein this law was written.

Ayliffe.

Bill of particulars . See under Bill . - - In particular , specially; peculiarly. "This, in particular , happens to the lungs." Blackmore. -- To go into particulars , to relate or describe in detail or minutely.

Particularism noun [ Confer French particularisme .]
1. A minute description; a detailed statement. [ R.]

2. (Theol.) The doctrine of particular election.

3. (German Politics) Devotion to the interests of one's own kingdom or province rather than to those of the empire.

Particularist noun [ Confer French particulariste .] One who holds to particularism. -- Par*tic`u*lar*is"tic , adjective

Particularity noun ; plural Particularities . [ Confer French particularité .]
1. The state or quality of being particular; distinctiveness; circumstantiality; minuteness in detail.

2. That which is particular ; as: (a) Peculiar quality; individual characteristic; peculiarity. "An old heathen altar with this particularity ." Addison. (b) Special circumstance; minute detail; particular. "Even descending to particularities ." Sir P. Sidney. (c) Something of special or private concern or interest.

Let the general trumpet blow his blast,
Particularities and petty sounds
To cease!

Shak.

Particularization noun The act of particularizing. Coleridge.

Particularize transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Particularized ; present participle & verbal noun Particularizing .] [ Confer French particulariser .] To give as a particular, or as the particulars; to mention particularly; to give the particulars of; to enumerate or specify in detail.

He not only boasts of his parentage as an Israelite, but particularizes his descent from Benjamin.

Atterbury.

Particularize intransitive verb To mention or attend to particulars; to give minute details; to be circumstantial; as, to particularize in a narrative.

Particularly adverb
1. In a particular manner; expressly; with a specific reference or interest; in particular; distinctly.

2. In an especial manner; in a high degree; as, a particularly fortunate man; a particularly bad failure.

The exact propriety of Virgil I particularly regarded as a great part of his character.

Dryden.

Particularment noun A particular; a detail. [ Obsolete]

Particulate transitive verb & i. [ See Particle .] To particularize. [ Obsolete]

Particulate adjective
1. Having the form of a particle.

2. Referring to, or produced by, particles, such as dust, minute germs, etc. [ R.]

The smallpox is a particulate disease.

Tyndall.

Parting adjective [ From Part , v. ]
1. Serving to part; dividing; separating.

2. Given when departing; as, a parting shot; a parting salute. "Give him that parting kiss." Shak.

3. Departing. "Speed the parting guest." Pope.

4. Admitting of being parted; partible.

Parting fellow , a partner. [ Obsolete] Chaucer. -- Parting pulley . See under Pulley . -- Parting sand (Founding) , dry, nonadhesive sand, sprinkled upon the partings of a mold to facilitate the separation. -- Parting strip (Architecture) , in a sash window, one of the thin strips of wood let into the pulley stile to keep the sashes apart; also, the thin piece inserted in the window box to separate the weights. -- Parting tool (Machinery) , a thin tool, used in turning or planing, for cutting a piece in two.

Parting noun
1. The act of parting or dividing; the state of being parted; division; separation. "The parting of the way." Ezek. xxi. 21.

2. A separation; a leave-taking. Shak.

And there were sudden partings , such as press
The life from out young hearts.

Byron.

3. A surface or line of separation where a division occurs.

4. (Founding) The surface of the sand of one section of a mold where it meets that of another section.

5. (Chemistry) The separation and determination of alloys; esp., the separation, as by acids, of gold from silver in the assay button.

6. (Geol.) A joint or fissure, as in a coal seam.

7. (Nautical) The breaking, as of a cable, by violence.

8. (Min.) Lamellar separation in a crystallized mineral, due to some other cause than cleavage, as to the presence of twinning lamellæ.