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▪ I. partner part‧ner 1 [ˈpɑːtnə ǁ ˈpɑːrtnər] noun [countable]1. COMMERCE a company that works with another company in a particular activity, or invests in the same activity:• British Airways is actively seeking partners for joint ventures.
• The company and its equity partners have invested in six energy projects.
ˈlead ˌpartner COMMERCEthe most important partner in a partnership between two or more companies, for example the one that invests the most money:• The company, including lead partner Ohbayashi Corp. will build a control tower for the planned airport.
ˈmerger ˌpartner FINANCE• The company is seeking a merger partner as a way to raise its capital levels.
straˌtegic ˈpartner COMMERCEa company that another company works with because doing so is important for its development:• The airline was looking at TWA as a strategic partner to help it become a world airline.
2. COMMERCE someone who starts a new business with someone else by investing in it:• Like all new business partners, the three founders of the company hoped for smooth teamwork.
ˌsleeping ˈpartner also ˌsilent ˈpartner COMMERCEa partner who invests in a business but does not take an active part in managing itˌworking ˈpartner also ˌactive ˈpartner COMMERCEa partner who takes an active part in the running of a business:• Our proposal is that we do business together as working partners with a common interest.
3. a member of certain types of business or professional groups, for example partnerships of lawyers, architects etc:• Donald Andres, a tax partner at accountants Ernst & Young
ˌgeneral ˈpartner COMMERCEa full member of a partnership:• Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. is adding two general partners, further expanding its leadership.
ˌjunior ˈpartner COMMERCEa partner in a partnership who is less important than a senior partner, but may become a senior partner laterˈlead ˌpartner COMMERCEanother name for senior partnerˈmanaging ˌpartner COMMERCEa very important partner who makes management decisions in a partnership:• Mr Hielscher, formerly a senior partner, was promoted to chief operating officer and managing partner.
ˈsenior ˌpartner COMMERCEan important partner in a partnership:• deals arranged by senior partners
4. also economic partner, ˈtrade partner, ˈtrading ˌpartner ECONOMICS a country that invests in another or is invested in by another, or that trades with another:• China is an important economic partner and provider of oil for North Korea.
• Exports won't boom this year because so many of America's major trading partners are going through tough times, too.
[m0] ▪ II. partner partner 2 verb [intransitive, transitive]to be someone's partner in a business project:• Creative Labs have partnered another company to design and produce some of the best speakers on the market today.
partner ( up) with somebody• The cellular phone company has partnered with a company that lays phone lines in urban areas to compete with local phone carriers.
• The company has partnered up with a number of stores to provide a flower delivery service.
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Ⅰ.partner UK US /ˈpɑːtnər/ noun [C]► a person or organization you are closely involved with in some way: »Lauren opened the design studio with her business partner Myra.
»The two companies are partners in a contract to build a new power station.
► WORKPLACE, FINANCE one of the owners of a company: a partner in sth »He's a partner in an accounting firm.
a partner at sth »She's a partner at a law firm.
► the person you are married to or living with as if you were married, or the person you are having a sexual relationship with: »This is my partner, Alex.
→ See also ACTIVE PARTNER(Cf. ↑active partner), GENERAL PARTNER(Cf. ↑general partner), JUNIOR PARTNER(Cf. ↑junior partner), LEAD PARTNER(Cf. ↑lead partner), MANAGING PARTNER(Cf. ↑managing partner), MERGER PARTNER(Cf. ↑merger partner), SENIOR PARTNER(Cf. ↑senior partner), SILENT PARTNER(Cf. ↑silent partner), SLEEPING PARTNER(Cf. ↑sleeping partner), TRADING PARTNER(Cf. ↑trading partner), WORKING PARTNER(Cf. ↑working partner)Ⅱ.partner UK US /ˈpɑːtnər/ verb [I or T]► WORKPLACE, FINANCE if a company or person partners with another, they work together: partner with sb/sth »We've partnered with virtually every company in the industry over the years.
»As a long-term investor, I look forward to partnering with management and employees.
»We will not be buying any companies, as our policy is to partner.
Financial and business terms. 2012.