▪ I. partial, a. (n.)
(ˈpɑːʃəl)
Forms: 5 parcial, -cyale, 5–6 -cyal(l, -ciall, (6 perciall, -cyall), 6–7 partiall, (6 Sc. pertiall), 6– partial.
[a. OF. parcial (14th c. in Godef.), F. partial, and in sense 2 partiel, It. parziale, Sp., Pg. parcial, ad. late L. partiāl-is (S. Gregory); cf. partiāliter adv. in Cælius Aurel., 5th c.
Fr. now distinguishes partial in our sense 1 (Amyot 16th c.), from partiel in our sense 2 (Dict. Acad. 1762), but this distinction is recent, for parcial was used by Oresme a 1400, and partial by Calvin 16th c., = mod.F. partiel.]
A. adj. I. 1. a. ‘Inclined antecedently to favour one party in a cause, or one side of the question more than the other’ (J.); unduly favouring one party or side in a suit or controversy, or one set or class of persons rather than another; prejudiced; biased; interested; unfair. (The opposite of impartial.)
partial counsel (Sc. Law), improper advice or communication to one of the parties in a cause.
| c 1420 Lydg. Assembly of Gods 153 Yef ye in thys matyr be nat parciall. 1442–3 Rec. Coldingham Priory (Surtees) I. 148 For the qwilk thai war pursewit be process of a parcyale Juge. 1526 Tindale Acts x. 34, I perseaue, that God is not parciall. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. V 36 A perciall interpretour marreth the sentence. 1660 South Serm. I. 97 Your Worldliness, your Luxury, your sinister partial Dealing. 1693 Stair Inst. (ed. 2) iv. xliii. §9 Witnesses become Inhabile, by giving partial Council. 1715–20 Pope Iliad xviii. 582 The witness is produced on either hand: For this or that the partial people stand. 1861 W. Bell Dict. Law Scot., Partial counsel; is one of the circumstances which throws discredit upon a witness's testimony. Ibid., Partial counsel is a ground of declinature of a judge. 1861 Mill Utilit. v. 67 It is inconsistent with justice to be partial. 1872 Blackie Lays Highl. 54 Who sits supreme in righteous state Above man's partial mood. |
b. Favouring a particular person or thing excessively or especially; prejudiced or biased in some one's favour; hence in weakened sense: Favourably disposed, favourable, kindly, sympathetic. Const. to. Now rare, or merged in prec. or next.
| c 1585 Faire Em iii. 1326 And never could I see a man, methought, That equalled Manvile in my partial eye. 1586–7 Queen Elizabeth Let. Jas. VI, 14 Feb., Who shall other⁓wise perswade yow, judge them more partiall to others then to yow. 1699 Bentley Phal. 148 So obliging, so partial to our Sophist. 1759 Hume Hist. Eng. (1812) V. xli. 275 Men naturally believed she had been influenced by an affection still more partial than that of friendship. 1771 Junius Lett. xlix. 253, I am not so partial to the royal judgment as to affirm [etc.]. 1804 M. G. Lewis Bravo of Venice (1856) I. vi. 280 Rosabella, a creature in whose formation partial nature seemed to have omitted nothing which might constitute the perfection of female loveliness. 1852 Robertson Serm. Ser. iii. xv. 192 Not the partial Father, loving one alone. |
c. With to: Having a liking for, fond of. colloq.
| 1696 Prior Secretary 16 Athens..Where people knew love, and were partial to verse. 1747 H. Walpole Lett. (1846) II. 189, I am not partial to the family. 1827 Lytton Pelham lxxxvi, I am not more partial to my arm chair, nor more averse to shaving than of yore. 1889 A. Lang Prince Prigio xvii. 133 He brought out some cold sausage (to which Alphonso was partial). |
† d. Inclined, apt (to do something). Obs. rare—1.
| 1615 in Crt. & T. Jas. I, I. 363 They are too partial to think themselves sacro sancti, that they may not be touched. |
e. Comb., as partial-eyed.
| 1593 Nashe Four Lett. Confut. Wks. (Grosart) II. 248 A discontented Scholler..tragicallie exclaiming vpon his partial-eid fortune. |
II. 2. a. Pertaining to or involving a part (not the whole); ‘subsisting only in a part; not general or universal; not total’ (J.); constituting a part only; incomplete. partial cause: see quot. 1697.
| 1641 H. L'Estrange God's Sabbath 22 A total Prolepsis of an entire story before another there may be, and yet no partial of one part of that story before another. 1643 J. Burroughes Exp. Hosea iv. (1652) 225 Idols are content with a partiall obedience, because they are but partiall in bestowing of good things. 1697 tr. Burgersdicius his Logic i. xv. 51 That [cause is] Partial which, joyned with the other Causes of its own Species causes the Caused only in Part. 1734 Pope Ess. Man iv. 114 Or partial Ill is universal Good. 1781 Gibbon Decl. & F. xxvi. (1869) II. 35 This partial defeat was balanced, however, by partial success. 1861 W. Bell Dict. Law Scot. s.v. Insurance, A partial loss is one short of a total loss; or, where the articles insured are actually landed at the port of delivery, the injury will amount to a partial loss. Ibid., In all cases..between the insurers and the insured, there is no question as to the legality of the capture or the change of property, but simply whether it be a total or a partial loss, and whether it admits of an abandonment. 1864 Bowen Logic iv. 61 Our representation..is necessarily partial, as not including all its Marks. 1886 W. A. Harris Techn. Dict. Fire Insurance, Partial damage to merchandise. |
b. spec. That is one of the parts which make up a whole; constituent, component.
| 1481 Caxton Myrr. i. xiii. 40 Who that myght haue the parfayt scyence therof [of astronomy], he myght wel knowe how the world was compassed and plente of other parcyal sciences. 1834 M. Somerville Connex. Phys. Sc. iii. (1849) 17 The whole force which disturbs a planet is equivalent to three partial forces. |
† c. spec. Particular, individual, personal. Obs.
| 1489 Caxton Faytes of A. i. xx. 63 A true counseiller seeth more to the comyn wele than to his owne parcyall proffit. 1560 Rolland Crt. Venus Prol. 224 Ilk man takis his proper part partiall. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 87 The iniuries done to ony of them..sould be equall pertiall to thame all. |
† d. Using or dealing with only a part, not the whole, of something; sparing. [? associated with L. parcus.] Obs. rare.
| 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 81, I thought good, first not to touche, secondly to be parciall of my pen. Ibid. 245 Howe parciall and sparing in diet, how moderate in apparel. |
3. In several technical uses. a. Astron. Applied to an eclipse in which part only of the disk of the luminary is covered or darkened.
| 1704 in J. Harris Lex. Techn. I. s.v. Eclipse. 1857 Mayne Expos. Lex., Partial eclipse occurs when the moon enters but in part into the shade of the earth, or when it covers a part of the disc of the sun. |
b. Math. (a) Applied to differentials, differentiation, etc. relative to only one of the variables involved, the rest being for the time supposed constant. (b) partial determinant = minor determinant; (c) partial fractions: the simpler fractions as the sum of which a compound fraction can be expressed; (d) partial product: (i) the product of one term of a multiplicand and one term of its multiplier; (ii) the product of the first n terms of a series, where n is a finite integer (including 1); (e) partial sum: (see quot. 1973); (f) partial ordering or partial order: a transitive antisymmetrical relation among the elements of a set, which is not necessarily informative about each pair of elements; (g) partial pivoting: see pivoting vbl. n. 2.
| 1816 tr. Lacroix's Diff. & Int. Calculus 146 Usually expressed by saying that one is the partial differential relative to x, and the other the partial differential relative to y. 1823 J. Mitchell Dict. Math. & Phys. Sc. 346/1 Theory of Partial Differences. 1889 W. W. Johnson Treat. Ordinary & Partial Differential Equations xi. 288 An equation..giving the value of a single partial derivative, or more generally an equation giving a relation between the several partial derivatives of a function of two or more independent variables, is called a partial differential equation. 1898 Cayley's Coll. Math. Papers Index, Partial Differential Equations; system of. 1975 F. G. Hagin First Course Differential Equations i. 32 Another important concept is the partial derivative... Recall that this can be computed simply by treating y as a constant and differentiating F as a function of x. |
| 1816 Peacock & Herschel tr. Lacroix's Elem. Treat. Differential & Integral Calculus ii. 186 The general method of integrating differentials of the above form, consists in decomposing them into others, whose denominators are more simple, which we designate by the name of partial fractions. 1908 G. H. Hardy Course Pure Math. vi. 198 It is very often convenient, in differentiating a rational function, to employ the method of partial fractions. 1975 Flanders & Price Algebra vi. 207 In general, ax + b / (x - r) (x - s) = A / x - r + B / x - s for suitable constants A and B. This expression is called the partial fraction decomposition of the given rational function. |
| c 1823 New Pract. Builder 554 The sum of all the partial products will be the answer. 1959 G. & R. C. James Math. Dict. 285/1 Partial product, the product of the multiplicand and one digit of the multiplier, when the latter contains more than one digit. 1977 Sci. Amer. Sept. 82/2 Since each digit of the multiplier must be either a 0 or a 1, each partial product formed must be equal either to zero or to the multiplicand. |
| 1966 W. Rudin Real & Complex Analysis xv. 290 The pn are the partial products of the infinite product. 1972 A. G. Howson Handbk. Terms Algebra & Anal. xxviii. 145 Given a sequence (an) of non-zero real or complex numbers we form a second sequence (Pn) whose terms are the partial products Pn = Πnk = 0 ak = a0a1{ddd}an . |
| 1926 Bromwich & MacRobert Introd. Theory Infinite Series (ed. 2) 540 (Index), Partial Sum of Fourier Series. 1928 R. C. Young tr. Knopp's Theory & Appl. Infinite Series ii. 99 An infinite series is a new symbol for a definite sequence of numbers deducible from it, namely the sequence of its partial sums. 1973 D. Ball Introd. Real Anal. iv. 71 The sum of the first n terms of a series a1 + a2 + a3 + a4 + a5 +{ddd} is called the nth partial sum. |
| 1941 Birkhoff & MacLane Survey Mod. Algebra xi. 326 (heading) Partial orderings. 1964 T. O. Moore Elem. Gen. Topology vii. 126 Many writers require that a partial ordering be reflexive; some do not. We choose not to do so in this book. 1972 A. G. Howson Handbk. Terms Algebra & Anal. iii. 18 A binary relation on a set X which is reflexive, transitive and antisymmetric is called a partial order of X. A set with a partial order is known as a poset. |
c. Bot. Forming one of the parts or divisions of a compound structure; secondary, subordinate: as partial umbel, each of the smaller umbels of a compound umbel; so partial involucre, the involucre of a partial umbel, an involucel.
| 1760 J. Lee Introd. Bot. i. viii. (1765) 17 The Umbellula which proceeds from the universal Umbel, a partial Umbel. 1819 Pantologia, Partial umbel, in botany; otherwise called umbellule... The involucre at the foot of this is called the partial involucre..a partial peduncle, is a subdivision of a common peduncle. 1872 Oliver Elem. Bot. i. vii. 82 The entire inflorescence forms a compound umbel; the umbels of single flowers being the partial umbels. |
d. Acoustics and Mus. Applied to any one of the simple tones which together form a complex tone. upper partial tones (or upper partials): those higher in pitch than the fundamental tone, produced by the vibrations of the aliquot parts of the sonorous body; also called harmonics or overtones: see harmonic B. 2.
| 1879 G. B. Prescott Sp. Telephone 96 That characteristic of a musical note or clang, which is called its quality, depends upon the number and relative intensities of the partial tones which go to form it. 1880 Grove's Dict. Music II. 654/1 Notwithstanding the difficulty of hearing the upper partial tones, many musicians have been able to do so by their unaided ears. |
e. R.C. Ch. Of an indulgence: see quots.
| 1885 Cath. Dict. (ed. 3) s.v. Indulgence, Divisions of Indulgences.—Plenary remit all, partial a portion of the temporal punishment due to sin. 1890 W. J. B. Richards Catech. Indulgences 2 Indulgences are..Plenary and Partial; the former take away the whole of temporal punishment to which the power of the Church extends; the latter take away a greater or less part only of the punishment. |
f. partial pressure: the pressure that would be exerted by a gas in a given mixture if it alone occupied the space.
| 1857 H. E. Roscoe tr. Bunsen's Gasometry 131 The quantity of each constituent gas absorbed, is proportional to the pressure on that constituent part..; and these pressures may be distinguished as ‘partial pressures’, in contradistinction to the ‘total pressures’ of the whole mixture. 1899 J. Walker Introd. Physical Chem. vii. 55 When a mixture of gases dissolves in a liquid, each component dissolves according to its own partial pressure. 1968 Brit. Med. Bull. XXIV. 249/2 The changes in composition of the body when the CO2 partial pressure..is raised or lowered. 1971 Physics Bull. Feb. 83/3 The UKAEA's pulsed electrolytic hygrometer..can measure water in a gas down to a partial pressure of 10-7 atm. |
g. Dentistry. partial denture: a denture that replaces one or more, but not all, of the natural teeth of one set.
| 1860 J. Richardson Pract. Treat. Mech. Dentistry xv. 374 (heading) Partial dentures constructed in a base of vulcanizable gums. 1921 D. Gabell Prosthetic Dentistry ix. 206 Partial dentures should slide smoothly and tightly into place and rest evenly on their supports. 1975 H. Thomson Occlusion xi. 215 With the exception of the canine an abutment tooth for a partial denture should have two roots. |
h. Chem. partial valency [tr. G. partialvalenz (J. Thiele 1899, in Ann. d. Chem. CCCVI. 89)]: a partially unsatisfied valency formerly attributed to some atoms in unsaturated compounds to account for the addition reactions of olefins and the stability of the benzene ring.
| 1899 Jrnl. Chem. Soc. LXXVI. i. 554 The author holds the view that, in unsaturated compounds, whilst two affinities of every atom which participates in the double linking are occupied with those of the contiguous atom, the combining energy is not completely absorbed, so that the atoms in question still possess valency (Partialvalenz), and it is in this partial valency that the source of additive capacity is to be found. 1937 H. B. Watson Mod. Theories Org. Chem. viii. 105 The reactivity of the olefinic linkage was attributed to the incomplete saturation of the affinities of the doubly bound carbon atoms, which were thus regarded as possessing free ‘partial valencies’. 1964 N. G. Clark Mod. Org. Chem. xix. 394 When applied to a conjugated system, such as occurs in buta-1,3-diene, Thiele postulated the union of the centre pair of partial valencies, thus creating a relatively inert type of double bond between C2 and C3, and leaving reactive partial valencies only at C1 and C4. |
i. Dentistry. partial veneer: used attrib. to designate a crown consisting of a covering of three or more, but not all, of the surfaces of a tooth (the labial or buccal enamel being left exposed).
| 1928 Jrnl. Amer. Dental Assoc. Oct. 1919/2 The cast restoration is indicated in most other locations where esthetics will permit its use... One of the greatest fields of usefulness is in the construction of abutment pieces of the inlay, partial and full veneer types. 1940 S. D. Tylman Theory & Pract. Crown & Bridge Prosthesis xxvii. 332 (heading) The preparation of anterior teeth for partial veneer crowns. Ibid., The partial veneer retainer is indicated primarily in bridge prosthesis when two or more missing teeth are restored. 1963 C. R. Cowell et al. Inlays, Crowns, & Bridges ix. 98 Although a well-constructed partial veneer crown shows little gold, an alternative preparation should be undertaken if a patient is anxious to avoid showing any gold. |
j. partial title (see quots.).
| 1938 L. M. Harrod Librarians' Gloss. 113 Partial title, one which consists of only a part of the title as given on the title-page. 1967 Anglo-Amer. Catal. Rules: Brit. Text 267 Partial title entry, an added entry made under a secondary part of the title as given on the title page, e.g. a catchword title, subtitle, or alternative title. |
k. Cryst. Of a dislocation: such that the displacement involved, as represented by the Burgers vector, is not an integral multiple of the lattice spacing.
| 1951 F. C. Frank in Phil. Mag. XLII. 816 Unlike an ordinary twin-boundary, a translation-twin-boundary need not go right through the crystal. When it does not, its edge in the interior of the crystal is a dislocation. It will be called an imperfect dislocation (alternatively, a partial dislocation) in contrast with perfect dislocations which are surrounded entirely by good crystal. 1960 [see glide n. 5]. 1966 C. R. Tottle Sci. Engin. Materials iv. 101 Metals such as copper, silver, and gold have low values of this stacking-fault energy, and so readily form partial dislocations. 1976 M. T. Sprackling Plastic Deformation Simple Ionic Crystals iv. 51 A strip of stacking fault extending through a crystal has two opposite sides terminated by partial dislocations. |
l. Physics. partial wave (see quot. 1971).
| 1953 R. G. Sachs Nuclear Theory iv. 65 The straightforward analysis of a scattering problem involving a short-range potential makes use of the method of partial waves. 1970 I. E. McCarthy Nuclear Reactions i. i. 13 Large values of l correspond to trajectories which miss the nucleus. Therefore the effect of the nuclear forces is noticeable only in the first few partial waves. 1971 Physics Bull. Sept. 516/2 Any wavefunction describing a quantum mechanical system can be expanded in terms of eigenfunctions of angular momentum (‘partial waves’) characterized by an integer l ranging from zero to infinity; usually only a finite number of partial waves is required to specify the system. |
m. partial drought: see drought 2.
B. n.
1. Acoustics and Mus. Short for partial tone: see 3 d above.
| 1880 Grove's Dict. Music II. 654/2 From the mass of compound tone each resonator singles out and responds to that partial which agrees with it in pitch, but is unaffected by a partial of any other pitch. 1881 Broadhouse Mus. Acoustics 312 Those combinational tones which result from the union of the upper partials. |
2. Cryst. A partial dislocation (see sense 3 k above).
| 1952 Read & Shockley in W. Shockley et al. Imperfections in nearly Perfect Crystals ii. 85 It was first pointed out by Heidenreich and Shockley that a dislocation having a ½ [110] slip vector (taking the lattice constant as unit length) in a face-centered cubic crystal could lower its energy by dissociating into two partials (Shockley partials) having slip vectors 1/6 [211] and 1/6 [121], respectively, and connected by a stacking fault. 1967 A. H. Cottrell Introd. Metall. xvii. 280 The more widely the partials are separated initially, the more the energy required to bring them together to form the constriction and the more rare is the cross-slip. 1969 tr. Kubo & Nagamiya's Solid State Physics v. iii. 752 The characteristic of Shockley partials is that they together with their stacking faults can move and slip freely inside the slip planes. |
▪ II. partial, v. Statistics.
(ˈpɑːʃəl)
[f. partial a. (n.)]
partial out (trans.): to eliminate (a factor or variable) during analysis so as to remove its influence when considering the relationship between other variables.
| 1932 Brit. Jrnl. Psychol. XXIII. 184 This figure [for mean concrete imagery] is reduced..when the influence of visual verbal imagery is ‘partialled out’. 1940 G. H. Thomson Anal. Performance Test Scores ii. 9 The form of distribution of age is not very important since age was partialled out. 1949 Bruner & Postman in J. S. Bruner Beyond Information Given (1974) iv. 73 We cannot partial out the differential effect of serial position of a card, whether first or third or fifth in the series, independently of the kinds of experience the subject had before being presented any given card. 1972 Visible Language Winter 57 For eighth graders there is no relation between linear spatial ability and either word or nonsense anagram performance when decentration is partialled out. 1976 Nature 24 June 689/1 When the effect of air temperature was partialled out..a rise in adjusted oral temperature was found in the 6 d following. |