palavers
Drawn-out idle talks
Palavers are lengthy, idle discussions—talk that goes on too long without getting anywhere useful.
The word often implies tedious negotiations or excessive deliberation: After weeks of palavers, the committee still hadn't reached a decision.
To palaver is to engage in such drawn-out talk, sometimes with a suggestion of flattery or persuasion to get what you want.
Light, rapid speech
- rumorsUnconfirmed circulating stories
- chitchatInformal light conversation
- hearsayUnverified secondhand information
- tittle-tattleTrivial, idle chatter
whispers · scuttlebutt · idle talk · small talk · grapevine · prattle · nattering · gabbing
Speaks with others
- discussionsConversations examining a topic
- conferencesOrganized professional assemblies
- treatiesFormal agreements between states
- diplomacyNegotiation between nations
summits · parleys · deliberations · mediations · consultations · bargaining · agreements · truces
Organized group assemblies
- tribalOf a clan
- councilsDeliberative governing bodies
- assembliesOrganized group gatherings
- gatheringsOccasions of congregating
African · chiefs · elders · tribesmen · negotiations · indaba · trading · ceremonies
chatter
Light, rapid speech
- rumorsUnconfirmed circulating stories
- chitchatInformal light conversation
- hearsayUnverified secondhand information
tittle-tattle · whispers · scuttlebutt · idle talk · small talk · grapevine · prattle · nattering · gabbing · blather
talks
Speaks with others
- discussionsConversations examining a topic
- conferencesOrganized professional assemblies
- treatiesFormal agreements between states
diplomacy · summits · parleys · deliberations · mediations · consultations · bargaining · agreements · truces · accords
meetings
Organized group assemblies
- tribalOf a clan
- councilsDeliberative governing bodies
- assembliesOrganized group gatherings
gatherings · African · chiefs · elders · tribesmen · negotiations · indaba · trading · ceremonies · customs
commotion
Noisy, confused disturbance
hassle · bother · rigmarole · hullabaloo · kerfuffle · brouhaha · ruckus · fussing · drama · theatrics
- discussionsdiscussion, discussions, forum, talks, roundtable
- CongoKinshasa, Congo River, DRC, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Basin
- Indigenous Justicetribal courts, tribal justice, village councils, elder councils, tribal police
palaverssound bites
Brief quotable media excerpts
one-liners · pithy statements · pithy remarks · clipped speech · monosyllables