part
Preserved but no longer current.
To pay, restore, or give up; "he’s a right un, he is; I know’d he’d PART," i.e., he is a liberal (or punctual) person, and pays his debts, or bestows gratuities. The term is in general use in sporting circles, and is very commonly employed when speaking of the settlement of bets after a race. It is probably derived from the very common reference to stingy people, who are described as not liking to PART with their money.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “part” mean?
To pay, restore, or give up; "he’s a right un, he is; I know’d he’d PART," i.e., he is a liberal (or punctual) person, and pays his debts, or bestows gratuities. The term is in general use in sporting circles, and is very commonly employed when speaking of the settlement of bets after a race. It is probably derived from the very common reference to stingy people, who are described as not liking to PART with their money.
Is “part” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.