Defn: A part of speech partaking of the nature both verb and adjective; a form of a verb, or verbal adjective, modifying a noun, but taking the adjuncts of the verb from which it is derived. In the sentences: a letter is written; being asleep he did not hear; exhausted by toil he will sleep soundly, — written, being, and exhaustedare participles. By a participle, [I understand] a verb in an adjectival aspect. Earle.
Note: Present participles, called also imperfect, or incomplete, participles, end in -ing. Past participles, called also perfect, or complete, participles, for the most part end in -ed, -d, -t, -en, or -n. A participle when used merely as an attribute of a noun, without reference to time, is called an adjective, or a participial adjective; as, a written constitution; a rolling stone; the exhausted army. The verbal noun in -ing has the form of the present participle. See Verbal noun, under Verbal, a.
2. Anything that partakes of the nature of different things. [Obs.] The participles or confines between plants and living creatures. Bacon.
PARTICLE Par"ti*cle, n. Etym: [L. particula, dim of pars, gen partis, a part: cf. F. particule. See Part, and cf. Parcel.]
1. A minute part or portion of matter; a morsel; a little bit; an atom; a jot; as, a particle of sand, of wood, of dust. The small size of atoms which unite To make the smallest particle of light. Blackmore.
2. Any very small portion or part; the smallest portion; as, he has not a particle of patriotism or virtue. The houses had not given their commissioners authority in the least particle to recede. Clarendon.
3. (R. C. Ch.) (a) A crumb or little piece of concecrated host. (b) The smaller hosts distributed in the communion of the laity. Bp. Fitzpatrick.
4. (Gram.)
Defn: A subordinate word that is never inflected (a preposition, conjunction, interjection); or a word that can not be used except in compositions; as, ward in backward, ly in lovely.
PARTICOLORED
Par"ti*col`ored, a.