part
A1Neutral - used in all registers from everyday conversation to formal writing.
Definition
Meaning
A piece, portion, or division of a whole; to separate or divide.
An actor's role; a component in machinery; a side or faction in a dispute; a line of scalp revealed by combing hair in opposite directions.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The noun form can refer to both concrete divisions (a part of a machine) and abstract divisions (a part of the problem). The verb often implies separation, division, or departure.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In UK English, 'part with' often means to give up or sell something reluctantly. In US English, 'part' as a verb for hair ('part one's hair') is more common, while UK English may also use 'parting'. In measurements, UK may use 'part' in recipes ('one part sugar to two parts flour') slightly more formally.
Connotations
Similar core meanings, but phraseology differs (e.g., 'part company' vs. 'part ways' - both used, with 'part ways' being more modern/international).
Frequency
Extremely high frequency in both varieties. The noun is among the top 500 words. Minor differences in collocational strength (e.g., 'spare part' is strong in both).
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
N of N (a part of the story)V part in N (take part in the race)V part with N (He hated to part with his old car)V part N from N (A screen parts the dining area from the kitchen)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “for the most part”
- “part and parcel”
- “look the part”
- “on the part of”
- “play a part”
- “take someone's part”
- “a man of many parts”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to components, roles (job descriptions), divisions of companies, or shares (e.g., 'We are part of a global network').
Academic
Used to discuss components of theories, arguments, or systems (e.g., 'This forms a crucial part of the hypothesis').
Everyday
Extremely common for discussing portions of food, time, objects, or involvement (e.g., 'Part of my morning routine').
Technical
Specific components in engineering, computing (e.g., 'replacement part', 'part number').
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The hardest part of the job was the early mornings.
- She was given a part in the school play.
- He lives in a quiet part of Sussex.
- Can you get a spare part for this washer?
American English
- The best part of the day is after lunch.
- He landed a part in a Broadway show.
- We drove through the industrial part of town.
- The mechanic ordered the part from Detroit.
verb
British English
- The crowd parted to let the ambulance through.
- It was sad to see the friends part.
- He refused to part with his grandfather's watch.
- She parts her hair on the left.
American English
- The clouds parted, revealing the sun.
- They decided to part ways after college.
- I wouldn't part with this guitar for anything.
- He parts his hair very precisely.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- This is my favourite part of the song.
- I don't like this part of the film.
- Are you taking part in the race?
- For the most part, the students were well-behaved.
- A big part of my job involves answering emails.
- They had to part because of his new job abroad.
- Pride was part and parcel of his character, for better or worse.
- She played a key part in negotiating the contract.
- He couldn't bring himself to part with the family heirlooms.
- On the part of management, there was a reluctance to commit further resources.
- The argument falls into three distinct parts.
- The actor's interpretation brought a fresh nuance to the part.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'PART' as what you do when you leave (depART) or what you have when you break something apaRT.
Conceptual Metaphor
OBJECTS ARE WHOLES WITH PARTS (e.g., 'part of my life'), ORGANISATIONS ARE BODIES (e.g., 'part of the team'), EVENTS ARE JOURNEYS (e.g., 'part of the process').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- False friend: Russian 'парт' (desk) is unrelated. The Russian word 'часть' corresponds to 'part', but also to 'portion', 'unit', or 'chapter'. Avoid using 'part' for a 'piece' of advice or news; use 'item' or 'piece' instead (e.g., not 'a part of news'). Beware of preposition use: 'part of' not 'part from' for belonging.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'part' with uncountable nouns where 'some' or 'a piece of' is better (e.g., 'a part of information' is wrong; use 'some information'). Confusing 'part from' (separate from a person/thing) and 'part with' (give up possession). Using 'take a part' instead of 'take part' (in an activity).
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'He **parted** the curtains to peek outside,' what is the closest meaning of 'parted'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'A part' (two words) is a noun phrase meaning a piece or portion. 'Apart' (one word) is an adverb meaning separated by a distance or into pieces (e.g., 'The towns are far apart,' 'It fell apart').
It usually means to separate or divide. It can be transitive (with an object: 'She parted the curtains') or intransitive (no object: 'We parted at the station'). Common phrasal verbs are 'part with' (give up) and 'part from' (leave a person).
Not exactly. 'Take part in' means to participate in an activity. 'Play a part in' means to have a role in a process or event, which can be active participation or a more passive contributing factor.
Generally, no. Use 'part of' with countable, divisible wholes (e.g., part of the book, part of the team). For uncountables like 'advice', 'information', 'furniture', use 'some', 'a piece of', or 'an item of'.