PALAVER • E-FREE TRANSLATION.COM • Definition of Palaver

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Palaver

verb

(past & past part. palavered; pres. part. palavering)

Speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly. Synonyms: blab, blabber, chatter, clack, gabble, gibber, maunder, piffle, prate, prattle, tattle, tittle-tattle, twaddle.

Influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering. Synonyms: blarney, cajole, coax, inveigle, sweet-talk, wheedle.

Have a lengthy discussion, usually between people of different backgrounds.

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Etymology of 'Palaver'

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"Palaver" Quotes from Famous Books

... in regular succession, with three linen shirts. This concluded the Series of Shirts. Then commenced the waistcoats. A plain woollen waistcoat without buttons—with hooks and eyes—took the lead, and kept it; it was closely pressed by what is, in common palaver, called an under-waistcoat—the body being flannel, the breast-edges bearing a pretty pattern of stripes or bars—then came a natty red waistcoat, of which we were particularly proud, and of which ...

— Recreations of Christopher North, Volume 2 • John Wilson

... spelling will not readily daunt us in the time-honored pursuit of "what happens next"—certainly not if we know enough of our author to feel sure he will come to the point and tell us what happens next with the least possible palaver. We have a definite want and a certainty of being satisfied promptly. But with Spenser this satisfaction may, and almost certainly will, be delayed over many pages: and though in the meanwhile a thousand casual beauties may appeal to us, the main thread of our attention is sensibly relaxed. ...

— Adventures in Criticism • Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch

... confidently, as one who could not be deceived. "Pooh!" she said. "That was only a try-on. That was only so that he could begin his palaver! Don't tell me! I may be a simpleton, but I'm not such a simpleton as he thinks for, nor as some other folks think for, either!" (At this point Hilda had to admit that in truth her mother was not completely a simpleton. In her mother was a vein ...

— Hilda Lessways • Arnold Bennett

... "Come, come! no palaver," returned Sam, in a loud and boisterous tone (to do him justice, he had never been taught any other); "down on your marrow-bones at once, or here goes for your gizzard!" and he drew his sword ...

— The Aldine, Vol. 5, No. 1., January, 1872 - A Typographic Art Journal • Various

... band came upon a small palisaded village of thatched huts set in a clearing in the jungle close beside a placid river. At their approach the villagers came pouring out, and Usanga advanced with two of his warriors to palaver with the chief. The experiences of the day had so shaken the nerves of the black sergeant that he was ready to treat with these people rather than take their village by force of arms, as would ordinarily have been his preference; but now a vague conviction influenced him that there watched over ...

— Tarzan the Untamed • Edgar Rice Burroughs

... accordingly fixed for holding a grand palaver at Wolf's Hope on the subject of Caleb's requisitions, and he was invited to attend at ...

— Bride of Lammermoor • Sir Walter Scott

Words linked to "Palaver" : verbalize, meaninglessness, hokum, persuade, utter, parley, smatter, flattery, blether, nonsense, bunk, mouth, soft-soap, nonsensicality, blither, swagger, verbalise, browbeat, babble, speak, bully, blather, talk