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Palaver

//pəˈlɑː.və(ɹ)// noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A village council meeting. Africa, countable, uncountable

    "Here we remained four days, on account of a palaver which was held on the following occasion."

  2. 2
    loud and confused and empty talk wordnet
  3. 3
    Talk, especially unnecessary talk; chatter. Canada, US, archaic, countable, uncountable

    "Frances pulled his hair heartily, and then went and seated herself on her husband’s knee, and there they were, like two babies, kissing and talking nonsense by the hour—foolish palaver that we should be ashamed of."

  4. 4
    flattery intended to persuade wordnet
  5. 5
    Mentally draining activity, either physical or fuss. British, countable, uncountable

    "What a palaver!"

Show 3 more definitions
  1. 6
    A meeting at which there is much talk; a debate; a moot. countable, uncountable

    "this country and epoch of parliaments and eloquent palavers"

  2. 7
    Disagreement. countable, informal, uncountable

    "I have no palaver with him."

  3. 8
    Talk intended to deceive. countable, uncountable
Verb
  1. 1
    To discuss with much talk. intransitive

    "“Come, come, Captain Bildad; stop palavering,—away!” and with that, Peleg hurried him over the side, and both dropt into the boat."

  2. 2
    have a lengthy discussion, usually between people of different backgrounds wordnet
  3. 3
    To flatter. transitive

    "Dodd never spoke to his officers like a ruffian, nor yet palavered them."

  4. 4
    influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering wordnet
  5. 5
    speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

Originally nautical slang, from Portuguese palavra (“word”), from Late Latin parabola (“parable, speech”). The term's use (especially in Africa) mimics the evolution of the word moot. As such, for sense development, see moot. Doublet of parable, parole, and parabola.

Etymology 2

Originally nautical slang, from Portuguese palavra (“word”), from Late Latin parabola (“parable, speech”). The term's use (especially in Africa) mimics the evolution of the word moot. As such, for sense development, see moot. Doublet of parable, parole, and parabola.

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