party

party

I

par‧ty¹ S1 W1 /ˈpɑːti $ ˈpɑːrti/ noun (plural parties) [countable]1.  FOR FUN a social event when a lot of people meet together to enjoy themselves by eating, drinking, dancing etc:
    We’re having a small party this evening to celebrate our wedding anniversary.
    throw/give a party
    The university threw a party to welcome them.
    go/come to a party
    Are you going to the party tonight?
    at a party
    I met John at a party a couple of months ago.
    the party spirit (=the way someone feels when they are really enjoying a party) ⇨ hen party, house party, stag party, party animal
2.  IN POLITICS  [also + plural verb British English] a political organization with particular beliefs and aims, which you can vote for in elections:
    I have always voted for the Labour Party.
    He failed to win the party’s nomination for President.
    The conference is open to all party members. ⇨ party line
3.  GROUP OF PEOPLE  [also + plural verb British English] a group of people who go somewhere together or do a job together
    party of
    a party of tourists
    There were several students in our party.
    A search party was sent out to look for the missing climbers.
    a rescue party
    Admission is free for school parties. ⇨ working party
4.  IN AN ARGUMENT/LAW law or formal one of the people or groups who are involved in a legal argument or agreement:
    helping the two parties to reach an agreement
    guilty/innocent party
    He sees himself as the innocent party in this dispute. ⇨ third party¹
5. be (a) party to something formal to be involved in an activity or decision:
    I was not a party to this discussion.
     

COLLOCATIONS

(for Meaning 1)

■ verbs
   ▪ have a party We’re having a party on Saturday night.
   ▪ hold a party The party was held at his flat.
   ▪ throw/give a party (=organize it) Staff threw a party to celebrate the news.
   ▪ host a party (=give a large or formal party) The party was hosted by the Danish ambassador.
   ▪ go to/come to a party (also attend a party formal) Are you going to Tom’s party? | About 500 people will attend a party in her honour.
   ▪ invite somebody to a party I’ve been invited to Greg’s party next weekend.
   ▪ gatecrash a party (=go to it even though you have not been invited) Some older boys tried to gatecrash the party.
   ▪ a party is in full swing (=people at a party are having a good time talking, dancing etc) At 3 am, the party was still in full swing.
   ▪ there is a party going on Somewhere near the hotel there was a party going on.
   ▪ a party breaks up (=it ends and people go home) The party broke up a little after midnight.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + party
   ▪ a birthday party They met at her sister’s 18th birthday party.
   ▪ a Christmas/Halloween etc party I hope you’re going to the office Christmas party.
   ▪ a big/small party I don’t really like going to big parties.
   ▪ a dinner party (=one where people are invited to someone’s house for an evening meal) It’s a favorite topic of conversation at fashionable dinner parties these days.
   ▪ a cocktail party (=a fairly formal party, at which alcoholic drinks are served) I first met him at a cocktail party at the American embassy.
   ▪ a fancy dress party British English, a costume party American English (=one where people wear unusual clothes, for example so they look like someone from a story) She went to the fancy dress party as Snow White.
   ▪ an office party I danced with my boss at the office party.
   ▪ a surprise party Amy has planned a surprise party for his birthday.
   ▪ a farewell/leaving party You didn’t come to Ken’s farewell party, did you?
   ▪ a street party (=one held outside in a street) Thousands flocked to the street party on Princess Street to celebrate New Year.
   ▪ a lavish party (=one where a lot of money has been spent) He threw lavish parties for his celebrity friends.
■ party + NOUN
   ▪ the party spirit (=the way people feel when they are really enjoying a party) There’ll be plenty of free champagne to get the party spirit going.
   ▪ be in a party mood (=want to enjoy yourself at a party) Kate wasn’t really in a party mood, so she stayed home.
   ▪ party games The children had great fun playing party games.
   ▪ a party dress The little girls were wearing white party dresses.
■ COMMON ERRORS
    ► Do not say 'make a party' or 'do a party'. Say have a party.
     

COLLOCATIONS

(for Meaning 2)

■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + party
   ▪ a political party The Labour Party and the Conservative Party are the two main political parties in Britain.
   ▪ the Labour/Democratic etc Party The leadership race within the Republican Party is almost over.
   ▪ an opposition party (=a party that is not in power) The tax increase was criticized by opposition parties.
   ▪ the ruling party (=the party in power) The ruling party’s level of support grew throughout the year.
   ▪ a right-wing/left-wing party Support for the right-wing parties was strongest among young working-class men.
■ party + NOUN
   ▪ a party member He’s been a Conservative party member for 20 years.
   ▪ the party leader He met with opposition party leaders.
   ▪ a party candidate (=someone who represents a political party in an election) The seat was won by the Socialist Party candidate with 68% of the vote.
   ▪ the party faithful (=strong supporters of a party) His policies appeal to the party faithful.
   ▪ a party activist (=someone who works hard for a party) Campaign literature is distributed by unpaid party activists.
   ▪ party policy (=a political party’s official plan or position on important subjects) There has been a change in party policy.
   ▪ a party conference He will give a speech at the Tory party conference this morning.
   ▪ the party chairman British English He resigned as Conservative party chairman.
   ▪ a party official The incident has angered senior party officials.
■ verbs
   ▪ a party wins/loses an election Do you think the Labour Party can win the next election?
   ▪ join a party Bloomfield joined the Communist Party in 1946.
   ▪ form/found a party The two politicians broke away from the PDF to form a new political party.
■ phrases
   ▪ a party is in power From 1945 until 1951 the Labour Party was in power in Britain.
   ▪ a party comes to power (=begins to be the government) The ruling party came to power in May 2001.
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ party a social event when a lot of people meet together to enjoy themselves by eating, drinking, dancing etc: We’re having a party for Sarah’s 40th birthday. | I met my boyfriend at a party.
   ▪ get-together an informal party: Christmas is the perfect time for a family get-together.
   ▪ ball a large formal party where people dance: the end of term ball
   ▪ rave a large party which is held outside or in an empty building, where people dance to music and take illegal drugs
   ▪ reception a large formal party, especially one after a wedding or to welcome an important person: The wedding reception is at a nearby hotel. | a reception for the Thai Foreign Minister | They attended a White House reception to mark the Queen’s visit.
   ▪ function a large formal or official party: He has been asked to play at many corporate functions (=an official party held by a company).
   ▪ celebration a party or special event that is organized in order to celebrate something: the country’s 50th anniversary celebrations | It was a 21st birthday celebration which Mary would never forget.
   ▪ bash informal a party, especially a big one that a lot of famous people go to – used especially in journalism: the star’s birthday bash | a picture of him at a Hollywood bash | a showbiz bash
   ▪ do British English informal a party: We’re having a do to celebrate Margaret’s birthday.
   ▪ dinner party a party where people are invited to someone’s house for an evening meal: I met him at a dinner party.
   ▪ house-warming (party) a party that you have when you move into a new house: We’re having a house-warming next week.
   ▪ cocktail party (also drinks party British English) a party that people go to in order to talk and have a drink together for a few hours
   ▪ fancy-dress party British English, costume party American English a party where people dress in special clothes, for example to look like a famous person or a character in a story
   ▪ hen party especially British English a social event just before a wedding, for a woman who is getting married and her female friends
   ▪ stag night British English, bachelor party American English a social event just before a wedding, for a man who is getting married and his male friends
   ▪ baby/wedding shower American English an event at which people give presents to a woman who is going to have a baby or get married

II

party² verb (past tense and past participle partied, present participle partying, third person singular parties) [intransitive]
informal to enjoy yourself with a group of other people by drinking alcohol, eating, dancing etc:
    Let’s party!