Palaver
noun
Unnecessary talk that is not important or productive.
Please, no more palaver. Just tell me what happened
Often appears as...
- to cause a palaver
- quite a palaver
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Colloquial
verb
Talk at length, usually in an aimless or pointless manner.
They palavered on about their holiday for hours
Often appears as...
- to palaver about something
- palaver on
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Colloquial
noun
A conference or discussion.
The chiefs held a palaver to discuss the territorial boundaries
Often appears as...
- to hold a palaver
- palaver over something
Usage tips
Formal
Historical
noun
Fuss or bother.
What's all the palaver in the kitchen?
Often appears as...
- to make a palaver
- all the palaver
Usage tips
Disapproving
Colloquial
noun
Unnecessary talk that is not important or productive.
Please, no more palaver. Just tell me what happened
Often appears as...
- to cause a palaver
- quite a palaver
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Colloquial
verb
Talk at length, usually in an aimless or pointless manner.
They palavered on about their holiday for hours
Often appears as...
- to palaver about something
- palaver on
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Colloquial
noun
A conference or discussion.
The chiefs held a palaver to discuss the territorial boundaries
Often appears as...
- to hold a palaver
- palaver over something
Usage tips
Formal
Historical
noun
Fuss or bother.
What's all the palaver in the kitchen?
Often appears as...
- to make a palaver
- all the palaver
Usage tips
Disapproving
Colloquial
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/2Avoid Overuse
Use 'palaver' to suggest conversation is too lengthy and unnecessary, but don’t overuse it or it loses impact.
After an hour of palaver, we finally got to the point.
Pro Tip 2/2Colloquial Tone
Suitable for casual conversations, 'palaver' may seem out of place in very formal or academic situations.
I enjoy our lunchtime palavers, they're quite relaxing.
Pro Tip 1/2Avoid Overuse
Use 'palaver' to suggest conversation is too lengthy and unnecessary, but don’t overuse it or it loses impact.
After an hour of palaver, we finally got to the point.
Pro Tip 2/2Colloquial Tone
Suitable for casual conversations, 'palaver' may seem out of place in very formal or academic situations.
I enjoy our lunchtime palavers, they're quite relaxing.
Pro Tip 1/2Avoid Overuse
Use 'palaver' to suggest conversation is too lengthy and unnecessary, but don’t overuse it or it loses impact.
After an hour of palaver, we finally got to the point.
Pro Tip 2/2Colloquial Tone
Suitable for casual conversations, 'palaver' may seem out of place in very formal or academic situations.
I enjoy our lunchtime palavers, they're quite relaxing.
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Video examples
Humble plants that hide...
because it performs great social functions. Now if you have a problem in the community, meeting under the palaver tree with the chiefs or the tribesmen would be synonymous to trying to find a solution to that particular problem, and also to reinforce trust and respect
Video examples
Humble plants that hide...
because it performs great social functions. Now if you have a problem in the community, meeting under the palaver tree with the chiefs or the tribesmen would be synonymous to trying to find a solution to that particular problem, and also to reinforce trust and respect
Example 1 of 1
Quote examples
Richard Rhodes
American Journalist
Many novice writers, students in particular, think that writing is little more than copying down their self-talk, the palaver of the voices they hear in their heads. Of course, self-talk is thinking, and writing begins with thinking.
Quote examples
James Joyce
Irish Novelist
The men that is now is only all palaver and what they can get out of you.
Quote examples
Richard Rhodes
American Journalist
Many novice writers, students in particular, think that writing is little more than copying down their self-talk, the palaver of the voices they hear in their heads. Of course, self-talk is thinking, and writing begins with thinking.
Quote examples
James Joyce
Irish Novelist
The men that is now is only all palaver and what they can get out of you.
Example 1 of 2
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