palaver

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Contents

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

Originally nautical slang, from Portuguese palavra (speech), from Late Latin parabola (parable", "speech)

[edit] Pronunciation

[edit] Noun

Singular
palaver

Plural
palavers

palaver (plural palavers)

  1. Talk, especially unnecessary talk, fuss.
  2. A meeting at which there is much talk.

[edit] Quotations

  • 1799, Mungo Park, Travels in the Interior of Africa:
    Here we remained four days, on account of a palaver which was held on the following occasion.
  • 1899, Stephen Crane, Active Service:
    Knowing full well the right time and the wrong time for a palaver of regret and disavowal, this battalion struggled in the desperation of despair.
  • 1985, Justin Richards, Option Lock, p 229:
    Not for the first time, he reflected that it was not so much the speeches that strained the nerves as the palaver that went with them.

[edit] Translations

[edit] Verb

Infinitive
to palaver

Third person singular
palavers

Simple past
palavered

Past participle
palavered

Present participle
palavering

to palaver (third-person singular simple present palavers, present participle palavering, simple past and past participle palavered)

  1. To discuss with much talk.
    • 1860, Atlantic Monthly, vol. 5, no. 30 (April),
      “That,” he rejoined, “is a way we Americans have. We cannot stop to palaver. What would become of our manifest destiny?”

[edit] Danish

[edit] Etymology

From English palaver.

[edit] Pronunciation

  • IPA: /palavɘr/, [pʰaˈlɒwˀɐ], [pʰaˈlæˀwɐ]

[edit] Noun

palaver c. (singular definite palaveren, plural indefinite palavere)

  1. palaver

[edit] Inflection