Definition of Palaver

1. Noun. Flattery intended to persuade.

Exact synonyms: Blandishment, Cajolery
Generic synonyms: Flattery
Derivative terms: Blandish, Cajole

2. Verb. Speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly. "Sam and Sue palaver"

3. Noun. Loud and confused and empty talk. ; "Mere rhetoric"

4. Verb. Influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering. "They palaver him into writing the letter"; "He palavered her into going along"
Exact synonyms: Blarney, Cajole, Coax, Inveigle, Sweet-talk, Wheedle
Generic synonyms: Persuade
Specialized synonyms: Soft-soap, Browbeat, Bully, Swagger
Derivative terms: Blarney, Cajolery, Coax, Coaxer, Coaxing, Wheedler, Wheedling

5. Verb. Have a lengthy discussion, usually between people of different backgrounds. "Sam wants to palaver with Sue "
Generic synonyms: Parley

Definition of Palaver

1. n. Talk; conversation; esp., idle or beguiling talk; talk intended to deceive; flattery.

2. v. t. & i. To make palaver with, or to; to used palaver;to talk idly or deceitfully; to employ flattery; to cajole; as, to palaver artfully.

Definition of Palaver

1. Noun. (Africa) A village council meeting. ¹

2. Noun. Talk, especially unnecessary talk, fuss. ¹

3. Noun. A meeting at which there is much talk. ¹

4. Noun. (informal) Disagreement ¹

5. Verb. To discuss with much talk. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Palaver

1. to chatter [v -ED, -ING, -S] - See also: chatter

Lexicographical Neighbors of Palaver

palatoquadrates
palatorrhaphy
palatosalpingeus
palatoschisis
palatouvularis muscle
palatovelar
palatovelars
palatum
palatum durum
palatum molle
palatum osseum
palau
palaver (current term)
palavered
palaverer
palaverers
palavering
palaverous
palavers
palay
palays
palazzi
palazzo
palazzolike
palazzos
pale
pale-

Literary usage of Palaver

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Thompson in Africa: Or, An Account of the Missionary Labors, Sufferings by George Thompson (1852)
"In the afternoon Sy-cum-mah and his interpreter came and made a palaver* to begin with, ... If one prosecutes another he makes " a palaver with him. ..."

2. Slang and Its Analogues Past and Present: A Dictionary, Historical and by John Stephen Farmer, William Ernest Henley (1902)
"palaver. xvi. blow the gaff, I felt afraid to PALARIE a dickey for fear ... Hang it \ he'll see through all that palaver the way you say ¡i. 1838. ..."

3. The Siege of Kumassi by Mary Alice Young Hodgson (1901)
"CHAPTER IV A MOMENTOUS palaver THE durbar, or palaver as it is called in West ... Long before the hour fixed for the palaver the kings were to be seen ..."

4. The Siege of Kumassi by Mary Alice Young Hodgson (1901)
"CHAPTER IV A MOMENTOUS palaver THE durbar, or palaver as it is called in West ... Long before the hour fixed for the palaver the kings were to be seen ..."

5. A History of the Gold Coast of West Africa by Alfred Burdon Ellis (1893)
"THE ambiguous language used by Captain Ricketts to the Ashanti messengers at Elmina soon produced its natural results, for the palaver had been conducted ..."

6. A Nika-English Dictionary by Johann Ludwig Krapf, Johannes Rebmann (1887)
"To break, to part asunder, to come off. Trop., to be decided or finished, a palaver. ... Trop., to decide, to settle, to finish a palaver. ..."

7. Sierra Leone: Or, The White Man's Grave by George Alexander Lethbridge Banbury (1890)
"The palaver chamber is about fifty feet long, and had a raised mud seat all round ... There was to be a palaver, in consequence of our arrival, evidently, ..."

8. Imperialism and Liberty by Morrison Isaac Swift (1899)
"BERESFORD'S FLATTERY palaver. do ? He performed a very ordinary commonplace feat, ... Beresford's Flattery palaver. English statesmen took good heed of our ..."

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