palaver

[ puh-lav-er, ‐lah-ver ]

/ pəˈlæv ər, ‐ˈlɑ vər /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR palaver ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a conference or discussion.

a long parley, especially one between primitive natives and European traders, explorers, colonial officials, etc.

profuse and idle talk; chatter.

persuasive talk; flattery; cajolery.

verb (used without object), pa·lav·ered, pa·lav·er·ing.

to talk profusely and idly.

to parley or confer.

verb (used with object), pa·lav·ered, pa·lav·er·ing.

to cajole or persuade.

Origin of palaver

1720–30; < Portuguese palavra word, speech, talk < Late Latin parabola parable

OTHER WORDS FROM palaver

pa·lav·er·er, pa·lav·er·ist, noun pa·lav·er·ment, noun pa·lav·er·ous, adjective

Words nearby palaver

palatorrhaphy, palatoschisis, palatum, palau, palau islands, palaver, palawan, palazzo, palazzo pants, pale, pale horse

Example sentences from the Web for palavering

But he'll bring cases, for he's very popular in society, and he'll do all the palavering and running round very well.

The Honorable Peter Stirling and What People Thought of Him |Paul Leicester Ford
The Kuzaks were palavering with the occupants of two heavily-loaded trader rockets.

The Planet Strappers |Raymond Zinke Gallun
In the evening we had a good deal of palavering with spears and shields, fighting an imaginary foe, and at times retreating.

Adventures in New Guinea |James Chalmers
The next day he lounges in here with his palavering ways, and demands the highest price in the market—and I give it to him!

The Ancient Law |Ellen Glasgow

What an immense pother, by parliamenting and palavering in all corners of your empire, to decide such a question as that!

Latter-Day Pamphlets |Thomas Carlyle

British Dictionary definitions for palavering

palaver

/ (pəˈlɑːvə) /

noun

tedious or time-consuming business, esp when of a formal nature all the palaver of filling in forms

loud and confused talk and activity; hubbub

(often used humorously) a conference

rare talk intended to flatter or persuade

Western African

an argument
trouble arising from an argument

verb

(intr) (often used humorously) to have a conference

(intr) to talk loudly and confusedly

(tr) to flatter or cajole

Word Origin for palaver

C18: from Portuguese palavra talk, from Latin parabola parable

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

palaver

noun

verb (used without object), pa·lav·ered, pa·lav·er·ing.

verb (used with object), pa·lav·ered, pa·lav·er·ing.

Origin of palaver

OTHER WORDS FROM palaver

Words nearby palaver

Example sentences from the Web for palavering

British Dictionary definitions for palavering

noun

verb

Word Origin for palaver

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

palaver

noun

verb (used without object), pa·lav·ered, pa·lav·er·ing.

verb (used with object), pa·lav·ered, pa·lav·er·ing.

Origin of palaver

OTHER WORDS FROM palaver

Words nearby palaver

Words related to palavering

Example sentences from the Web for palavering

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for palavering

noun

verb

Word Origin for palaver

British Dictionary definitions for palavering