american party

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

American Party
    n 1: a former political party in the United States; active in
         the 1850s to keep power out of the hands of immigrants and
         Roman Catholics [syn: {American Party}, {Know-Nothing
         Party}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

American \A*mer"i*can\ ([.a]*m[~e]r"[i^]*kan), a. [Named from
   Americus Vespucius.]
   1. Of or pertaining to America; as, the American continent:
      American Indians.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Of or pertaining to the United States. "A young officer of
      the American navy." --Lyell.
      [1913 Webster]

   {American ivy}. See {Virginia creeper}.

   {American Party} (U. S. Politics), a party, about 1854, which
      opposed the influence of foreign-born citizens, and those
      supposed to owe allegiance to a foreign power.

   {Native american Party} (U. S. Politics), a party of
      principles similar to those of the American party. It
      arose about 1843, but soon died out.
      [1913 Webster]