play a part Definition

part
noun

1. A portion, piece or bit; some but not all.

Thesaurus: portion, piece, section, fragment, fraction, particle, element, bit, slice, scrap, chunk.
2. One of a set of equal divisions or amounts that compose a whole.

Example: in the proportion of five parts cement to two of sand
3. An essential piece; a component.

Example: vehicle spare parts
4. A section of a book; any of the episodes of a story, etc issued or broadcast as a serial.
5a. A performer's role in a play, opera, etc;
5b. The words, actions, etc belonging to the role.
6. The melody, etc given to a particular instrument or voice in a musical work.
7. One's share, responsibility or duty in something.

Example: do one's part
Example: want no part in it
Thesaurus: duty, share, responsibility, task, work, role.
8. A region.

Example: foreign parts
Form: parts (usually)
9. Talents; abilities.

Example: a man of many parts
Form: parts

verb parted, parting

1. To divide; to separate.

Thesaurus: divide, separate, split up, break, sever.
intr
2. To become divided or separated.
3. To separate (eg curtains, combatants, etc).
intr
4. Said of more than one person: to leave one another; to go in different directions; to depart.

Thesaurus: leave, depart, part company, go, withdraw, split (slang), split up, separate, break.
5. To put a parting in (hair).
intr
6. To come or burst apart.

adj

1. In part; partial.

Example: part payment

Idiom: the better part of something (the best part of something, the greater part of something)

Most of it; the majority of it.

Idiom: for the most part

Usually.

Mostly or mainly.
Thesaurus: mostly, mainly, generally, chiefly, on the whole, largely, principally.

Idiom: for my part

As far as I am concerned.

Idiom: in great part (in large part)

Mostly.

Idiom: in part

Partly; not wholly but to some extent.
Thesaurus: partially, somewhat, to some degree, to a certain extent, in some measure, partly, slightly; Antonym: totally, completely.

Idiom: on the part of someone

As done by them.

So far as they are concerned.

Idiom: part and parcel of something

An essential part of it.

Idiom: part company with someone

To separate from them.

Idiom: part way

Some of the way, without reaching; not all the way.
Example: go part way towards an objective

Idiom: play a part

To be involved.

Idiom: take something in good part

To take no offence at (a criticism, joke, etc).

Idiom: take part in something

To participate in it; to share in it.

Idiom: take someone's part

To support them; to take their side.
Thesaurus: support, side with, stand up for, defend.

Etymology: 13c: from Latin pars part.

Phrasal Verb: part from or with someone

To leave them or separate from them.

Phrasal Verb: part with something or be parted from something

To give it up or hand it over.
Example: reluctant to part with their money
Example: reluctant to be parted from their money

Info:

See Usage Note at behalf.