Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a man or woman; still found in old party, and the basis of such legal terms as the guilty party, and being a party to.

1592		Greene Disputation Betweene a Hee and a Shee Conny-Catcher (1923) 12: There haue a curious eye to the person [...] and note, either where his boung lyes, whether in his hoase or pockets, and then dogge the partie into a presse where his staule with heuing and shouing shall so molest him.
c.1595		Shakespeare Love’s Labour’s Lost V ii: The party is gone; fellow Hector, she is gone.
1606		J. Day Ile of Guls IV i: mis.: Manasses wife? [...] Gods my precious, Ile slit her nose, as I am a Lady will I; is she the party you wot on? dor.: Yes faith Madam, shee is the Mare the man rid on.
1612		Wits, Fits, and Fancies 159: A Braue Theefe that did the high-wayes [...] it was his custome alwaies to share with the party whom he robb’d the one halfe of the bootie.
1633		S. Marmion Fine Companion V i: When I have marryed her to the right party [...] he shall marry the next daughter.
1665		Head Eng. Rogue I 52: Tip the Cole to Adam Tyler, Give what money you pocket-pickt to the next party, presently.
1671		‘L.B.’ New Academy of Complements 213: Then in the throng, / I nip his Bung, / And the party ne’r the wiser.
a.1691		‘The Vagabond’ in Ebsworth Merry Drollery Compleat (1875) 205: [as cit. 1671].
1700		Congreve Way of the World III i: Madam, I have seen the party.
1714		A. Smith Lives of Most Noted Highway-men, etc. I 210: Tip the Cole to Adam Tyler, that’s, give what Money you have pick’d up out of the Man’s Pocket, to the next Party.
1765		Foote The Commissary 6: Will he marry the party?
1818		W. Scott Heart of Mid-Lothian (1883) 47: The party she mentioned, a grave elderly person [...] came up as she spoke.
1820		Jack Randall’s Diary 7: For if he did it, blow him tight, By Belcher’s fist, and Living Jingo, He’d cut the party, (honour bright,) Before he’d stow such saucy Lingo.
1845		D. Corcoran Pickings from N.O. Picayune (1847) 73: ‘What have these parties been doing?’ asked the Recorder, of the police officer.
1853		‘Cuthbert Bede’ Adventures of Mr Verdant Green (1982) I 79: We are honoured with the presence of a party who has just delighted us with what I may call a flood of harmony.
1861		Hills & Plains I 220: ‘Was that the old judge who came up a couple of days ago? [...] Aged and helpless parties [...] should not be allowed to trespass upon the highways’.
1863		T. Taylor Ticket-Of-Leave Man Act I: There’s a pleasant looking party yonder.
1867		Eve. Teleg. (Phila.) 16 Aug. 6/4: Oh, she did fly, that party, and said I was gross insultin’ of ’er.
1868		Empire (Sydney) 30 Jan. 4/1: It is often said that the word ‘party’ for a ‘person’ is a slang term. It so, it is at all events ancient slang.
1878		S. James Vagabond Papers (5th series) 50: Prompted by her granddame, who I am sorry to find is a most unveracious old party.
1881		W. Black Beautiful Wretch III 35: She’s a house-keeperish kind of young party.
1882		A. Trumble Mysteries of N.Y. 20: The second day we found a party that knew her.
1894		G.A. Henty Dorothy’s Double I 217: I was a-watching a female party and she wur a good sort.
1895		H. Lawson ‘Steelman’s Pupil’ in Roderick (1972) 209: I’m going to try and chew the old party’s lug.
1900		Marvel XIV:356 Sept. 11: That engaging old party.
1900		Sydney Sportsman (Surry Hills, NSW) 5 Dec. 1/1: He is a red-hot sort of party — man that is not above giving strange instructions to his jockeys.
1910		H.G. Wells Hist. of Mr Polly (1946) 234: ‘Time we were going in, O’ Party’ said Mr. Polly.
1914		M. Glass Potash and Perlmutter 152: Well, that party called for her and they left here about ten minutes ago [...] A gentleman with a red tie and a fine diamond pin.
c.1921		T. Norman Penny Showman 29: The only unmoved party there was Blondin.
1939		‘Flann O’Brien’ At Swim-Two-Birds 166: Did you ever happen to know a party by the name of William Tracy?
1949		R. Chandler Little Sister 31: The Quest party’s been out of here ten days.
1953		F. Flora ‘Collector Comes after Payday’ in Best of Manhunt (2019) [ebook] The current owner was being pressed for the payment payment of debts by parties who didn’t like waiting.
1956		‘Charles Raven’ Und. Nights 16: Monty Rose, his fence, an ingenious old party who fronted as a wholesale fishmonger.
1967		(con. 1940s) M. Dibner Admiral (1968) 307: I’m a sad old party.
1968		J. Alard He Who Shoots Last 215: [A] manner indicative of those about to put the bite on a certain party.
1977		T. Berger Who is Teddy Villanova? 170: A rheumy old party, who wore lip rouge.
1999		P. Temple Black Tide (2012) [ebook] The party don’t just want the photos. Thought you’d grasped that.
2001		S. King Dreamcatcher 466: A scrawny old party in a tassled cap and an overcoat was pushed forward.
2021		‘Aidan Truhen’ Seven Demons 5: [A] rich old Dutch party called Mrs Van der Zee.

2. a girlfriend.

1862		Dundee Courier 26 Nov. 4/3: No stigma attaches to the young fellow who knows a ‘little party’ in Brompton [...] t is ‘the thing’ to know her .
1945		D. Bolster Roll On My Twelve 121: He had a ‘party’ in Guz., a jolly little freckled girl [...] But this wasn’t Plymouth and she could be of no use to him.