parley

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: Par=ley

CIDE DICTIONARY

parley, n. [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.  [1913 Webster]
"We yield on parley, but are stormed in vain."  [1913 Webster]

To beat a parley (Mil.), to beat a drum, or sound a trumpet, as a signal for holding a conference with the enemy.

parley, v. i. 

 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.  [1913 Webster]
"They are at hand,
To parley or to fight; therefore prepare."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

parley, 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

THESAURUS

parley

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

ROGET THESAURUS

parley

Conversation

N conversation, interlocution, collocution, colloquy, converse, confabulation, talk, discourse, verbal intercourse, oral communication, commerce, dialogue, duologue, trialogue, causerie, chat, chitchat, small talk, table talk, teatable talk, town talk, village talk, idle talk, tattle, gossip, tittle-tattle, babble, babblement, tripotage, cackle, prittle-prattle, cancan, on dit, talk of the town, talk of the village, conference, parley, interview, audience, pourparler, tete-a-tete, reception, conversazione, congress, powwow, hall of audience, durbar, palaver, debate, logomachy, war of words, gossip, tattler, Paul Pry, tabby, chatterer, interlocutor, conversationist, dialogist, the feast of reason and the flow of soul, mollia tempora fandi, conversing, interlocutory, conversational, conversable, discursive, discoursive, chatty, colloquial, with thee conversing I forget all time.

VB talk together, converse, confabulate, hold on a conversation, carry on a conversation, join in a conversation, engage in a conversation, put in a word, shine in conversation, bandy words, parley, palaver, chat, gossip, tattle, prate, powwow, discourse with, confer with, commune with, commerce with, hold converse, hold conference, hold intercourse, talk it over, be closeted with, talk with one in private, tete-a-tete.

Mediation

N mediation, mediatorship, mediatization, intervention, interposition, interference, intermeddling, intercession, arbitration, flag of truce, good offices, peace offering, parley, negotiation, diplomatics, diplomacy, compromise, mediator, arbitrator, intercessor, peacemaker, makepeace, negotiator, go-between, diplomatist, moderator, propitiator, umpire, mediatory.