n. [ F. artisan, fr. L. artitus skilled in arts, fr. ars, artis, art: cf. It. artigiano. See Art, n. ] 1. One who professes and practices some liberal art; an artist. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One trained to manual dexterity in some mechanic art or trade; and handicraftsman; a mechanic. [ 1913 Webster ]

This is willingly submitted to by the artisan, who can . . . compensate his additional toil and fatigue. Hume. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Artificer; artist. -- Artisan, Artist, Artificer. An artist is one who is skilled in some one of the fine arts; an artisan is one who exercises any mechanical employment. A portrait painter is an artist; a sign painter is an artisan, although he may have the taste and skill of an artist. The occupation of the former requires a fine taste and delicate manipulation; that of the latter demands only an ordinary degree of contrivance and imitative power. An artificer is one who requires power of contrivance and adaptation in the exercise of his profession. The word suggest neither the idea of mechanical conformity to rule which attaches to the term artisan, nor the ideas of refinement and of peculiar skill which belong to the term artist. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. free from party affiliation or bias. Opposite of partisan. [ Narrower terms: bipartisan, bipartizan, two-party, two-way; independent ] [ Narrower terms: nonparty, non-party ]
Syn. -- nonpartizan. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. not affiliated with any one party; as, a nonpartisan commission to study crime. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. An inclination to weigh both views or opinions equally; absence of bias toward any particular party.
Syn. -- impartiality. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ F., fr. It. partigiano. See Party, and cf. Partisan a truncheon. ] [ Written also partizan. ] 1. An adherent to a party or faction; esp., one who is strongly and passionately devoted to a party or an interest. “The violence of a partisan.” Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Both sides had their partisans in the colony. Jefferson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mil.) (a) The commander of a body of detached light troops engaged in making forays and harassing an enemy. (b) Any member of such a corps. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Written also partizan. ] 1. Adherent to a party or faction; especially, having the character of blind, passionate, or unreasonable adherence to a party; as, blinded by partisan zeal. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mil.) Serving as a partisan in a detached command; as, a partisan officer or corps. [ 1913 Webster ]

Partisan ranger (Mil.), a member of a partisan corps. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. pertuisane, prob. fr. It. partigiana, influenced in French by OF. pertuisier to pierce. It was prob. so named as the weapon of some partisans, or party men. Cf. Partisan one of a corps of light troops. ] A kind of halberd or pike; also, a truncheon; a staff. [ 1913 Webster ]

And make him with our pikes and partisans a grave. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being a partisan, or adherent to a party; feelings or conduct characteristic of a partisan. [ 1913 Webster ]