pa|lav|er

pa|lav|er «puh LAV uhr, -LAH vuhr», noun, verb.

–n.

1. a parley or conference, especially between European traders or travelers and people of other cultures, whose customs required the formal exchange of compliments, gifts, and other ritual, before the bringing up of any matter of business. SYNONYM(S): colloquy.

2. unnecessary or idle words; mere talk: »

After years of futile palaver, Latin America's coffee-producing nations are finally getting together in a hard-boiled cartel to hold up the price of coffee (Time).

3. smooth, persuading talk; fluent talk; flatter»

smooth-tongued palaver.

SYNONYM(S): cajolery.

–v.i.

1. to talk, especially to talk profusely or unnecessarily: »

Don't stand there palavering all day (Mark Twain).

2. to talk fluently or flatteringly, especially so as to persuade or cajole.

3. to engage in a palaver; parley.

–v.t.

to treat to palaver; flatter, wheedle, or cajole: »

Dodd never spoke to his officers like a ruffian, nor yet palavered them (Charles Reade).

╂[< Portuguese palavra < Latin parabola comparison, story, parable. See etym. of doublets parable (Cf. ↑parable), parabola (Cf. ↑parabola), parabole (Cf. ↑parabole), parole. (Cf. ↑parole)]

–pa|lav´er|er, noun.