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to part

to part

243 2.9
To separate and move in different directions after being together
  • verb
  • /pɑrt/
: separarse
  • "Pete gave Mel a fraternal hug and the two men parted ways, content in their old friendship."
  • part company
  • part ways
  • willing to part

The couple that should part let them go their separate ways.

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Examples

  • And we're parting on the square.

  • On occasion, they went to dinner; at other times, they parted for separate engagements.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • The couple that should part let them go their separate ways.

  • Just walk across the street and they will part their ways and not hit you.

  • The best of friends must part, right?

  • Listen... if you don't like what I have to say, if you're not interested, then, hey, we can just part ways.

  • As Dave reached them, they parted to let through the orderly, followed by Naqui.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • At the top, Sheehan and his squad parted to let Bedford through, then followed him aboard.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • In this context, Bonifacio's parting words to Dorotea as she leaves for the "abbey" are heavy.

    Academic text (1990)
  • After the meeting ended, the team decided to part and tackle their individual projects separately.

Synonyms

to split
vsto part
580 2.3

End a relationship or go separate ways

focuses on outward separation after togetherness rather than only dividing
to divide
vsto part
494 1.1

To split something into parts or groups

covers general moving apart, not just making sections for sharing
to separate
vsto part
372 1.9

To break into parts or pieces

is the basic act of moving apart after being together
to break up
vsto part
162 2.7

Separate something into smaller pieces

is the simple act of separating after being together, not only breaking
to split up
vsto part
125 2.6

To divide something into smaller parts

describes general breaking apart rather than specifically making parts
to break off
vsto part
71 2.8

To make a piece come away from something by hitting or bending it

refers more generally to any moving apart, not only detaching parts
to come apart
vsto part
50 3.1

To break into pieces or fall into separate parts

is the act of dividing or moving away rather than physical falling
to break apart
vsto part
46 3.0

To separate into pieces, for example a machine or a group

is a broader separation idea including leaving or moving away
to part ways
vsto part
28 3.9

To stop being together or working with someone and go in different directions

is the general breaking apart idea beyond people leaving each other
to break away
vsto part
7 3.5

To come off a larger thing, often because of force or damage

describes any parting after togetherness, not specifically fleeing or detaching
to disjoin
vsto part
1 7.4

Separate things that are attached to each other

is the everyday action of moving apart, not a formal disconnection
to dissever
vsto part
  • Formal
1 9.9

To cut or separate something into parts, often by breaking it

is the simple, general sense of moving apart without formal tone

Antonyms

222 2.1

To join people or things into one group for a shared purpose

106 1.0

Connect two things so they become attached

Idioms

452 2.2

To some degree but not completely

It happens in most cases but not always

16 7.5

A promise to stay married for the rest of both people's lives

A person who has been at a place so long people hardly notice them

quiet part loud
  • Informal
1 9.9

To say openly something people normally keep secret

To openly say something people usually keep secret

Phrasal Verbs

201 1.4

To join in an activity with other people

To act in a show or help make something happen

47 4.1

To give something you value to someone else, often reluctantly

28 3.9

To stop being together or working with someone and go in different directions

Have an appearance that suits a job or occasion

To support someone in an argument

Do your share of the work to help a group

Compounds

176 1.6

Working fewer hours than in a full-time job

125 1.0

A part of a living body, like an arm or heart

67 1.4

For fewer hours than in a full-time job

spare part
  • Specialized
28 3.0

An extra item kept to replace a broken piece in a machine

26 3.4

Made of two parts

23 3.0

A piece of a car, like a wheel or battery, that helps it work

moving part
  • Specialized
14 3.1

A part inside a machine that moves, like a gear

12 1.4

A piece of a car, like an engine or wheel

12 3.5

A person who owns something together with other people

9 3.0

A person who works fewer hours than full-time workers

A single piece that makes up a larger object

6 4.1

A small acting role with few lines in a film or TV show

4 4.2

A place that is likely to fail or be harmed

part of speech
  • Specialized
2 3.5

A class of words like noun, verb, or adjective

four-part harmony
  • Specialized
2 5.5

Four voices singing different notes together to make a rich musical sound

Three voices or instruments sing different notes together to make a full sound

bass part
  • Specialized
1 6.3

The lowest singing or instrument line that plays deep notes to support the music

1 6.2

A woman who dates someone but is not a serious or exclusive partner

1 1.0

One of ten equal parts of a whole

voice part
  • Specialized
1 3.4

A part of a song for singers who sing in the same range, for example soprano

1 2.2

One of twelve equal pieces of something

1 1.0

One of four equal pieces of something

1 4.0

A name for a part of something larger

after part
  • Specialized
1 9.1

The back part of a ship

imaginary part
  • Specialized
1 7.8

The number you multiply by i in a complex number, for example 3 in 5 + 3i

name part
  • Jargon
1 8.3

The role of the character whose name is in the title

1 1.2

One of five equal parts of a whole

part-of-speech tagger
  • Specialized
1 4.6

A computer program that labels each word as a noun, verb, or adjective

One of thirty-two equal pieces of a whole

part-singing
  • Specialized
1 6.0

Three or more voices sing different parts together to make harmony

1 7.0

A relation where a smaller part belongs to a larger whole, like a wheel and a car

One of sixteen equal parts of a whole

aliquant part
  • Specialized
9.9

A whole number that does not divide another number evenly

aliquot part
  • Specialized
9.9

A whole number that divides another number exactly with no remainder

fixed-point part
  • Specialized
8.7

The part after the decimal point in a logarithm, for example .808 in log 643 = 2.808

fixed-point part
  • Specialized
8.4

The digits or bits after the decimal point that show fractional value in computer numbers

part music
  • Specialized
8.1

Music for several voices that sing different parts without instruments

7.5

A link showing how a thing is made of smaller pieces

How Separated

to split
452 1.3
to part
243 2.9

Surface Forms

part infinitive
parted past
parted past participle
parting present participle
parts third person singular

Etymology

Part as a verb comes from the same root and an old verb partire meaning 'to divide', which gives the image of things moving away from each other. That is why to 'part' is to separate or go in different directions.