palaver

1. (Africa) A village council meeting.Examples: "Here we remained four days, on account of a palaver which was held on the following occasion."; "That night the village warriors held a big palaver to celebrate their victories, and to choose a new chief."Africacountableuncountable

2. (Canada, US, archaic in Britain) Talk, especially unnecessary talk; chatter. [from 18th c.]Examples: "Frances pulled his hair heartily, and then went and seated herself on her husband’s knee, and there they were, like two babies, kissing and talking nonsense by the hour—foolish palaver that we should be ashamed of."; "These remarks were received with a differing demonstration: some of the company declaring that if the Dutchman cared to come round and smoke a pipe they would be glad to see him—perhaps he'd show where the thumbscrews had been put on; others being strongly of the opinion that they didn't want any more advice—they had already had advice enough to turn a donkey's stomach. What they wanted was to put forth their might without any more palaver; to do something, or for some one; to go out somewhere and smash something, on the spot—why not?—that very night."; "Knowing full well the right time and the wrong time for a palaver of regret and disavowal, this battalion struggled in the desperation of despair."Synonyms: hot airCanadaUSarchaiccountableuncountable

3. (British) Mentally draining activity, either physical or fuss.Examples: "What a palaver!"; "Not for the first time, he reflected that it was not so much the speeches that strained the nerves as the palaver that went with them."; "What's the good of going through all this palaver of giving very small sums to very obscure charities?"Synonyms: adoBritishcountableuncountable

4. (informal) Disagreement.Examples: "I have no palaver with him."countableinformaluncountable

5. Talk intended to deceive. [from 19th c.]countableuncountable