Faction

Definition of faction:

part of speech: adjective

Factional.

part of speech: noun

Factious.

part of speech: noun

A group of persons in a state, political party, etc., who are working for a special end or aim; a party in disloyal opposition; dissension.

part of speech: noun

A party, in politics, combined or acting in union, in opposition to the state, government, or prince; usually applied to a minority, but it may be applied to a majority; a party promoting discord or unscrupulously promoting their private ends at the expense of the public good; " Not swaying to this faction or to that."- Tennyson; " When a party abandons public and general ends, and devotes itself only to the personal interests of its members and leaders, it is called a faction, and its policy is said to be factious."- Sir G. C. Lewis; " A feeble government produces more factions than an oppressive one."- Ames; tumult; discord; dissension; " They remined at Newbury in great faction among themselves."- Lord Clarendon; in Rom. antiq. one of the four classes, distinguished by special colors, into which the combatants in the circus were divided; there were the green, blue, red, and white factions, and other two, the purple and yellow, are said to have been added by Domitian.

Usage examples for faction:

• " Quarrels or not," she answered, " there is a faction that was more than willing to use the ancient passage under my palace grounds, and to hold secret meetings in a room that I made ready for them." "Caves of Terror", Talbot Mundy.

• In an evil hour of civil strife and bitter hatred of faction the Alhambra was betrayed to Spain, 'to feed fat an ancient grudge' between political chiefs. "History of the Thirty-Ninth Congress of the United States", Wiliam H. Barnes.

• There is now but a small faction even in Paris, to whom the restoration of order would not be acceptable. "La Vendée An Historical Romance", Anthony Trollope.

• Behind Duchesneau, Frontenac keeps saying, are the Jesuits and the bishop, from whom the spirit of faction really springs. "The Fighting Governor A Chronicle of Frontenac", Charles W. Colby Edited by George M. Wrong and H. H. Langton.