house party

house party (plural house parties)

1. A social gathering at someone's house, generally with music, drinking etc. [from 20th c.]
2. (now rare) The guests staying at a given house, as opposed to those visiting for the day. [from 19th c.]
   • 1891, Oscar Wilde, chapter XVII, in The Picture of Dorian Gray, London, New York, N.Y., Melbourne, Vic.: Ward Lock & Co., →OCLC, page 288:

     The house-party consisted of twelve people, and there were more expected to arrive on the next day.

   • 1945, Nancy Mitford, The Pursuit of Love, Penguin, published 2010, page 39:

     The difference between Aunt Sadie and Uncle Matthew was not as to whether Lord Merlin should or should not be asked to the ball […] , but whether he should be asked to bring a house party.