to palaver
1
9.4
- verb
- /pəˈlævər/
:
hablar
- He would be sitting in his Model A Ford to protect himself from the mosquitoes, but as we approached, he'd get out to greet us and to palaver as long as possible with my father.
Examples
-
It's all a misunderstanding. Djef's angry response told Sam that it was obvious that the Kitties were in no mood to palaver now that they had their dander up.
Fiction book (1998) -
That's Indian sign that he wants to palaver.
-
I'll go out and palaver with them.
-
We got no time to palaver.
-
It's been a chest o' treasure palavering with you, lad, truly it has.
Fiction book (2001) -
They want to palaver.
-
Quit palavering.
-
Before he forced the issue by breaking in, he had decided while palavering with Smykal on his landing that he might as well check out the old boy's story.
Fiction book (1995) -
Bildad, stop palavering away.
-
After the meeting, they stayed behind to palaver about the recent changes in the project.
Synonyms
86
2.7
To talk quickly and without stopping about unimportant things
48
5.3
To talk or write for a long time without a clear point
38
5.0
To talk for a long time without stopping, often giving too many details
15
6.2
Talk for a long time in an unclear way about small unimportant things
12
8.0
To talk a lot in a silly way that makes little sense
10
6.0
Talk for a long time in a boring, flat voice
9
8.4
To talk on and on in a silly way about unimportant things
6
7.7
To talk for a long time in a relaxed, often boring way
5
6.6
To talk for a long time about small boring things
3
8.4
To talk quickly about small, unimportant things
2
7.5
To talk or write for a long time about a subject
1
7.9
To talk quickly and unclearly so others cannot understand you
1
9.4
To give a long formal speech that sounds boring and self-important
1
9.9
To talk for a long time about things that do not matter
To talk in a slow, unclear way about unimportant things
To talk for a long time about unimportant things in a silly way
To talk or act in a silly, unimportant way
To talk a lot about unimportant things
Talk in a light, silly way about other people
To talk for a long time in a casual or boring way
Speak with someone for a very long time until they get tired
To speak to someone for a very long time until they get tired of listening
To talk for a long time about a subject in detail
To end a formal speech with a long, strong summary
How Talkative
75
4.4
86
2.7
9
8.4
1
9.4
- Informal
269
1.0
∞
1.0
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Etymology
Palaver comes from the Portuguese word palavra 'word', and European sailors and traders used it in West Africa for long talks and formal meetings. So, to palaver is to talk at length, often in a slow or roundabout way.