Part 93

2. A hen; -- so called from the ruffing of her neck feathers. "Dame Partlett, the hen." Shak.

Part"ly, adv. In part; in some measure of degree; not wholly. "I partly believe it." 1 Cor. xi. 18.

Part"ner (?), n. [For parcener, influenced by part.] 1. One who has a part in anything with an other; a partaker; an associate; a sharer. "Partner of his fortune." Shak. Hence: (a) A husband or a wife. (b) Either one of a couple who dance together. (c) One who shares as a member of a partnership in the management, or in the gains and losses, of a business.

My other self, the partner of my life.

Milton.

2. (Law) An associate in any business or occupation; a member of a partnership. See Partnership.

3. pl. (Naut.) A framework of heavy timber surrounding an opening in a deck, to strengthen it for the support of a mast, pump, capstan, or the like.

Dormant, or Silent, partner. See under Dormant, a.

Syn. -- Associate; colleague; coadjutor; confederate; partaker; participator; companion; comrade; mate.

Part"ner, v. t. To associate, to join. [Obs.] Shak.

Part"ner*ship, n. 1. The state or condition of being a partner; as, to be in partnership with another; to have partnership in the fortunes of a family or a state.

2. A division or sharing among partners; joint possession or interest.

Rome, that ne'er knew three lordly heads before, First fell by fatal partnership of power.

Rowe.

He does possession keep, And is too wise to hazard partnership.

Dryden.

3. An alliance or association of persons for the prosecution of an undertaking or a business on joint account; a company; a firm; a house; as, to form a partnership.

4. (Law) A contract between two or more competent persons for joining together their money, goods, labor, and skill, or any or all of them, under an understanding that there shall be a communion of profit between them, and for the purpose of carrying on a legal trade, business, or adventure. Kent. Story.

Community of profit is absolutely essential to, though not necessary the test of, a partnership.

5. (Arith.) See Fellowship, n., 6.

Limited partnership, a form of partnership in which the firm consists of one or more general partners, jointly and severally responsible as ordinary partners, and one or more special partners, who are not liable for the debts of the partnership beyond the amount of cash they contribute as capital. -- Partnership in commendam, the title given to the limited partnership (F. sociÈtÈ en commanditÈ) of the French law, introduced into the code of Louisiana. Burrill. -- Silent partnership, the relation of partnership sustained by a person who furnishes capital only.

Par*took" (?), imp. of Partake.

Par"tridge (?), n. [OE. partriche, pertriche, OF. pertris, perdriz, F. perdrix, L. perdix, -icis, fr. Gr. &?;.] (Zoˆl.) 1. Any one of numerous species of small gallinaceous birds of the genus Perdix and several related genera of the family PerdicidÊ, of the Old World. The partridge is noted as a game bird.

Full many a fat partrich had he in mew.

Chaucer.

The common European, or gray, partridge (Perdix cinerea) and the red-legged partridge (Caccabis rubra) of Southern Europe and Asia are well-known species.

2. Any one of several species of quail-like birds belonging to Colinus, and allied genera. [U.S.]

Among them are the bobwhite (Colinus Virginianus) of the Eastern States; the plumed, or mountain, partridge (Oreortyx pictus) of California; the Massena partridge (Cyrtonyx MontezumÊ); and the California partridge (Callipepla Californica).