Partisan
(Par"ti*san) n. [F., fr. It. partigiano. See Party, and cf. Partisan a truncheon.] [Written also
partizan.]
1. An adherent to a party or faction; esp., one who is strongly and passionately devoted to a party or an
interest. "The violence of a partisan." Macaulay.
Both sides had their partisans in the colony.
Jefferson. 2. (Mil.) (a) The commander of a body of detached light troops engaged in making forays and harassing
an enemy. (b) Any member of such a corps.
Partisan
(Par"ti*san), a. [Written also partizan.]
1. Adherent to a party or faction; especially, having the character of blind, passionate, or unreasonable
adherence to a party; as, blinded by partisan zeal.
2. (Mil.) Serving as a partisan in a detached command; as, a partisan officer or corps.
Partisan ranger (Mil.),
a member of a partisan corps.
Partisan
(Par"ti*san), n. [F. pertuisane, prob. fr. It. partigiana, influenced in French by OF. pertuisier
to pierce. It was prob. so named as the weapon of some partisans, or party men. Cf. Partisan one of
a corps of light troops.] A kind of halberd or pike; also, a truncheon; a staff.
And make him with our pikes and partisans a grave.
Shak. Partisanship
(Par"ti*san*ship), n. The state of being a partisan, or adherent to a party; feelings or conduct
appropriate to a partisan.
Partita
(||Par*ti"ta) n. [It.] (Mus.) A suite; a set of variations.
Partite
(Par"tite) a. [L. partitus, p. p. of partire to part, divide, from pars. See Part, and cf. Party,
a.] (Bot.) Divided nearly to the base; as, a partite leaf is a simple separated down nearly to the base.
Partition
(Par*ti"tion) n. [F. partition, L. partitio. See Part, v.]
1. The act of parting or dividing; the state of being parted; separation; division; distribution; as, the partition
of a kingdom.
And good from bad find no partition.
Shak. 2. That which divides or separates; that by which different things, or distinct parts of the same thing,
are separated; separating boundary; dividing line or space; specifically, an interior wall dividing one part
or apartment of a house, an inclosure, or the like, from another; as, a brick partition; lath and plaster
partitions.
No sight could pass
Betwixt the nice partitions of the grass.
Dryden. 3. A part divided off by walls; an apartment; a compartment. [R.] "Lodged in a small partition." Milton.
4. (Law.) The servance of common or undivided interests, particularly in real estate. It may be effected
by consent of parties, or by compulsion of law.
5. (Mus.) A score.
Partition of numbers (Math.),
the resolution of integers into parts subject to given conditions. Brande
& C.