Adjacent Words

Parley definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

P`ARLEY, v.i. [L. fero, or pario.] In a general sense, to speak with another; to discourse; but appropriately, to confer with on some point of mutual concern; to discuss orally; hence, to confer with an enemy; to treat with by words; as on an exchange of prisoners, on a cessation of arms, or the subject of peace.
P`ARLEY, n. Mutual discourse or conversation; discussion; but appropriately, a conference with an enemy in war.
We yield on parley, but are storm'd in vain.
To beat a parley, in military language, to beat a drum or sound a trumpet, as a signal for holding a conference with the enemy.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a negotiation between enemies v
1: discuss, as between enemies

Merriam Webster's

biographical name Peter — see Samuel Griswold Goodrich

Merriam Webster's

I. intransitive verb (parleyed; parleying) Date: 1570 to speak with another ; confer; specifically to discuss terms with an enemy II. noun (plural parleys) Etymology: Middle English parlai speech, probably from Middle French parlee, from feminine of parlé, past participle of parler to speak, from Medieval Latin parabolare, from Late Latin parabola speech, parable — more at parable Date: 1580 1. a. a conference for discussion of points in dispute b. a conference with an enemy 2. discussion

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. (pl. -eys) a conference for debating points in a dispute, esp. a discussion of terms for an armistice etc. --v.intr. (-leys, -leyed) (often foll. by with) hold a parley. Etymology: perh. f. OF parlee, fem. past part. of parler speak: see PARLANCE

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Parley Par"ley, n.; pl. Parleys. [F. parler speech, talk, fr. parler to speak, LL. parabolare, fr. L. parabola a comparison, parable, in LL., a word. See Parable, and cf. Parliament, Parlor.] Mutual discourse or conversation; discussion; hence, an oral conference with an enemy, as with regard to a truce. We yield on parley, but are stormed in vain. --Dryden. To beat a parley (Mil.), to beat a drum, or sound a trumpet, as a signal for holding a conference with the enemy.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Parley Par"ley, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Parleyed; p. pr. & vb. n. Parleying.] To speak with another; to confer on some point of mutual concern; to discuss orally; hence, specifically, to confer orally with an enemy; to treat with him by words, as on an exchange of prisoners, an armistice, or terms of peace. They are at hand, To parley or to fight; therefore prepare. --Shak.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(parleys, parleying, parleyed) 1. A parley is a discussion between two opposing people or groups in which both sides try to come to an agreement. (OLD-FASHIONED) N-VAR 2. When two opposing people or groups parley, they meet to discuss something in order to come to an agreement. (HUMOROUS or INFORMAL) ...a place where we meet and parley... I don't think you've ever tried parleying with Gleed, have you? V-RECIP: V, V with n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. n. Talk, converse, discourse, discuss, hold a conference (especially with an enemy), confer, treat. II. n. Conference (especially between enemies), talk, discourse, conversation, discussion, oral treaty.

Moby Thesaurus

admonition, advice, advise with, advising, advocacy, audience, bargain, bargaining, bargaining session, briefing, call in, calumet, caution, caveat, collogue, colloquium, colloquy, compare notes, conclave, confab, confabulation, confer, confer with, conference, confrontation, congress, consult, consult with, consultation, convention, council, council fire, council of war, counsel, deal, deliberate, deliberation, dialogue, direction, discuss, discuss with, discussion, downing of arms, empty hands, exchange observations, exchange of views, exchange views, exhortation, expostulation, eyeball-to-eyeball encounter, flag of truce, guidance, hand of friendship, have conversations, high-level talk, hold conference, hortation, huddle, idea, instruction, interchange of views, interview, meeting, monition, negotiate, negotiations, news conference, offer of parley, olive branch, opinion, outstretched hand, palaver, peace feelers, peace offer, peace offering, peace pipe, pipe of peace, pourparler, powwow, press conference, propitiatory gift, proposal, put heads together, reason with, recommendation, refer to, remonstrance, seance, session, sit down together, sit down with, sitting, suggestion, summit, summit conference, summitry, take counsel, take up with, talk over, talks, thought, truce flag, warning, white flag