Part 89

2. Anything that partakes of the nature of different things. [Obs.]

The participles or confines between plants and living creatures.

Bacon.

Par"ti*cle (?), n. [L. particula, dim of pars, gen partis, a part: cf. F. particule. See Part, and cf. Parcel.] 1. A minute part or portion of matter; a morsel; a little bit; an atom; a jot; as, a particle of sand, of wood, of dust.

The small size of atoms which unite To make the smallest particle of light.

Blackmore.

2. Any very small portion or part; the smallest portion; as, he has not a particle of patriotism or virtue.

The houses had not given their commissioners authority in the least particle to recede.

Clarendon.

3. (R. C. Ch.) (a) A crumb or little piece of concecrated host. (b) The smaller hosts distributed in the communion of the laity. Bp. Fitzpatrick.

4. (Gram.) A subordinate word that is never inflected (a preposition, conjunction, interjection); or a word that can not be used except in compositions; as, ward in backward, ly in lovely.

Par"ti*col`ored, a. Same as Party-colored.

Par*tic"u*lar (?), a. [OE. particuler, F. particulier, L. particularis. See Particle.] 1. Relating to a part or portion of anything; concerning a part separated from the whole or from others of the class; separate; sole; single; individual; specific; as, the particular stars of a constellation. Shak.

Shak.

Seken in every halk and every herne Particular sciences for to lerne.

Chaucer.

2. Of or pertaining to a single person, class, or thing; belonging to one only; not general; not common; hence, personal; peculiar; singular. "Thine own particular wrongs." Shak.

Wheresoever one plant draweth such a particular juice out of the earth.

Bacon.

3. Separate or distinct by reason of superiority; distinguished; important; noteworthy; unusual; special; as, he brought no particular news; she was the particular belle of the party.

4. Concerned with, or attentive to, details; minute; circumstantial; precise; as, a full and particular account of an accident; hence, nice; fastidious; as, a man particular in his dress.

5. (Law) (a) Containing a part only; limited; as, a particular estate, or one precedent to an estate in remainder. (b) Holding a particular estate; as, a particular tenant. Blackstone.

6. (Logic) Forming a part of a genus; relatively limited in extension; affirmed or denied of a part of a subject; as, a particular proposition; -- opposed to universal: e. g. (particular affirmative) Some men are wise; (particular negative) Some men are not wise.

Particular average. See under Average. -- Particular Baptist, one of a branch of the Baptist denomination the members of which hold the doctrine of a particular or individual election and reprobation. -- Particular lien (Law), a lien, or a right to retain a thing, for some charge or claim growing out of, or connected with, that particular thing. -- Particular redemption, the doctrine that the purpose, act, and provisions of redemption are restricted to a limited number of the human race. See Calvinism.

Syn. -- Minute; individual; respective; appropriate; peculiar; especial; exact; specific; precise; critical; circumstantial. See Minute.

Par*tic"u*lar (?), n. 1. A separate or distinct member of a class, or part of a whole; an individual fact, point, circumstance, detail, or item, which may be considered separately; as, the particulars of a story.

Particulars which it is not lawful for me to reveal.

Bacon.