PARTICLE

, the minute part of a body, or an assemblage of several of the atoms of which natural bodies are composed. Particle is sometimes considered as synonymous with atom, and corpuscle; and sometimes they are distinguished.

Particles are, as it were, the elements of bodies; by the various arrangement and texture of which, with the difference of the cohesion, &c, are constituted the several kinds of bodies, hard, soft, liquid, dry, heavy, light, &c. The smallest Particles or corpuseles cohere with the strongest attractions, and always compose larger Particles of weaker cohesion: and many of these, cohering, compose still larger Particles, whose vigour is still weaker; and so on for divers successions, till the progression end in the largest Particles, upon which the operations in chemistry, and the colours of natural bodies, depend; and which, by cohering, compose bodies of sensible magnitude.

PARTILE Aspect, in Astrology, is when the planets are in the exact degree of any particular aspect. In contradistinction to Platic Aspect, or when they do not regard each other with those very degrees. See Aspect.|

PARTY Arches, in Architecture, are arches built between separate tenures, where the property is intermixed, and apartments over each other do not belong to the same estate.

Party Walls, are partitions of brick made between buildings in separate occupations, for preventing the spread of fire. These are made thicker than the external walls; and their thickness in London is regulated by act of parliament of the 14th of George the Third.