Command party friend hosts at home (8)
I believe the answer is:
dominate
'command' is the definition.
(I know that dominate is a more specific form of command)
'party friend hosts at home' is the wordplay.
'party' becomes 'do' (do can informally mean a party).
'friend' becomes 'mate' (mate is a kind of friend).
'hosts' is an insertion indicator (inserted letters are welcomed or hosted).
'at home' becomes 'in' ('I'm in' can mean 'I'm at home').
'mate' placed around 'in' is 'minate'.
'do'+'minate'='DOMINATE'
(Other definitions for dominate that I've seen before include "Admit one in order to be in control" , "Be lord over" , "corner" , "Rule" , "Master" .)