2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Participle  \Par"ti*ci*ple\,  n.  [F.  participe,  L.  participium 
  fr  particeps  sharing,  participant;  pars,  gen.  partis,  a  part 
  +  capere  to  take  See  {Participate}.] 
  1.  (Gram.)  A  part  of  speech  partaking  of  the  nature  both  verb 
  and  adjective;  a  form  of  a  verb  or  verbal  adjective, 
  modifying  a  noun  but  taking  the  adjuncts  of  the  verb  from 
  which  it  is  derived.  In  the  sentences:  a  letter  is 
  written;  being  asleep  he  did  not  hear;  exhausted  by  toil 
  he  will  sleep  soundly,  --  written,  being  and  exhaustedare 
  participles. 
 
  By  a  participle,  [I  understand]  a  verb  in  an 
  adjectival  aspect.  --Earle. 
 
  Note:  Present  participles,  called  also  imperfect,  or 
  incomplete,  participles,  end  in  -ing.  Past  participles, 
  called  also  perfect,  or  complete,  participles,  for  the 
  most  part  end  in  -ed,  -d,  -t,  -en,  or  -n.  A  participle 
  when  used  merely  as  an  attribute  of  a  noun  without 
  reference  to  time,  is  called  an  adjective,  or  a 
  participial  adjective;  as  a  written  constitution;  a 
  rolling  stone;  the  exhausted  army.  The  verbal  noun  in 
  -ing  has  the  form  of  the  present  participle.  See 
  {Verbal  noun},  under  {Verbal},  a. 
 
  2.  Anything  that  partakes  of  the  nature  of  different  things 
  [Obs.] 
 
  The  participles  or  confines  between  plants  and 
  living  creatures.  --Bacon. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  participle 
  n  :  a  non-finite  form  of  the  verb  in  English  it  is  used 
  adjectivally  and  to  form  compound  tenses 

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