parti-coloured, party-, particoloured, a.
(ˈpɑːtɪˌkʌləd)
Also 6 partye-, 6–7 partie-.
[The first element appears to be parti, party a., which itself occurs from c 1380, in the sense ‘particoloured’, and in such phrases as ‘party red and white’: see party a. 2. Of the three spellings current from late in the 16th c., Johnson admitted only party-coloured, which still remains the main form in dictionaries; but parti-coloured or particoloured is now more prevalent, at least in Great Britain.]
a. Partly of one colour and partly of another; variegated in colour, diversicoloured; esp., in reference to dogs, having a coat marked with two or more colours in distinct patches.
† (α) partie-coloured (partye-). Obs.
| 1535 Coverdale Gen. xxx. 35 The speckled and partye coloured goates, and all the spotted and partye coloured kyddes. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. (1586) 139 The policie of Iacob..in procuring of partie coloured Lambes. 1630 R. Johnson's Kingd. & Commw. 143 A Guard of Swisse, attired in partie-coloured-Cloth. 1693 J. Edwards Author. O. & N. Test. 178 A rich partie-coloured vest. |
(β) party coloured, party-coloured.
| 1593 T. Watson Teares Fancie vi, Beames..That welnigh burnt loues party coloured wings. 1684 Luttrell Brief Rel. (1857) I. 296 The new serjeants..putt on their party coloured robes. 1712 Addison Spect. No. 265 ¶5, I looked..on this little party-coloured Assembly, as upon a Bed of Tulips. 1805 Wordsw. Waggoner iv. 31 Party-coloured garments gay. 1858 Hawthorne Fr. & It. Note-bks. I. 80 A party-colored dress, striped with blue, red and yellow, white and black. 1875 Lowell Under Old Elm iv. i, All party-coloured threads the weaver Time Sets in his web. |
(γ) parti-coloured.
| 1590 Greene Orl. Fur. (1599) 48 Iuno..mounted on her parti-coloured Coach. 1688 R. Holme Armoury iii. 127/2 A Barber is always known by his Cheque parti-coloured Apron. 1822 W. Irving Braceb. Hall xxi. 183 Making garlands of parti-coloured rags. 1879 G. Meredith Egoist xxxi. (1889) 305 The Pope's parti-coloured body guard. 1893 E. B. Heaton in Chicago Advance 23 Nov., The slopes..are parti-colored. 1879–81 V. Shaw Illustr. Bk. Dog xxvi. 185 Parti⁓coloured dogs [sc. Pomeranians] are much objected to. 1922 R. Leighton Compl. Bk. Dog 285 All colours [of Pekingese] allowable, red, fawn, black, black and tan, sable, brindle, white and parti-coloured. |
(δ) particoloured.
| 1598 Dallington Meth. Trav. I iv b, A Gard of Swisse, attired in particoloured Cloth. 1600 J. Pory tr. Leo's Africa ii. 72 This kinde of particoloured marble. 1706 Addison Rosamond i. vi, The particolour'd gay Alcove. 1839 Bailey Festus xix. (1852) 274 Double and triple particoloured suns. 1852 R. S. Surtees Sponge's Sp. Tour (1893) 373 Broad⁓backed particoloured jockeys. |
b. fig. Varied, diversified, ‘chequered’.
| 1622 S. Ward Life of Faith in Death (1627) 110 Their delights..particoloured and spotted with mixture of sorrow. c 1710 Prior Own Monument 12 In life party-colour'd, half pleasure, half care. 1803 Edin. Rev. II. 96 By their quaintness and party-coloured learning. 1885 R. L. & F. Stevenson Dynamiter 184 He got to bed with these parti-coloured thoughts. |