palaver

Everyday

1. (informal, UK) A lot of fuss and bother about something unimportant: what a palaver! tree →
2. (old) Long talk or chatter. tree →
3. (old) A long meeting or talk between groups of people, especially between traders and local people long ago. tree →

In the lessons

Everyday British talk: «What a palaver just to get a passport!» In older books and adventure stories, a palaver is a meeting to talk things over. It tells the reader there is too much talk and fuss.

Examples

• What a palaver getting the dog into the car! tree →
• Mum said the school concert was a lot of palaver. tree →
• Stop all this palaver and get your shoes on! tree →
• The chiefs held a long palaver by the river. tree →
• There was a great palaver over who sat where. tree →
• It's too much palaver to bake bread every day. tree →
• "Den, atter some mo' palaver, Brer Fox make a bargain dat Mr. Buzzard wuz ter watch de hole, en keep Brer Rabbit dar wiles Brer Fox went atter his axe. tree →

Note

Informal, mainly UK. Say «pa-LAH-ver». Comes from Portuguese «palavra» (word). Similar: fuss, carry-on, rigmarole.