life of the party

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life of the party

1. (idiomatic) A person who participates in entertainment events in a very enthusiastic manner and who has a leading role in inspiring others to join in the spirit of festivity.

   Synonyms: life and soul of the party, party animal

   • 1846 October 1 – 1848 April 1, Charles Dickens, chapter 37, in Dombey and Son, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1848, →OCLC:

     ‘You were the life of the party last night, Ma'am, you know,’ returned Flowers, ‘and you suffer for it, to-day, you see.’

   • 1915, Edward Stratemeyer, chapter 30, in The Rover Boys in Business:

     Tom was the life of the party, and the way he "cut up" was "simply awful," as Nellie declared.

   • 1950 January 2, “Headliners of the 1920s”, in Life‎, page 46:

     They were the life of the party and everyone loves them, even though it was not a party that the nation can afford to throw again.