▪ I. parle, n. arch. and dial.
(pɑːl)
Also 7 parl.
[app. f. parle v. Cf. also F. parole word, speech.]
1. Speech; talk; conversation.
| 1587 Mirr. Mag., Brennus xxvi, There could no parle of peace preuayle. 1611 Coryat Crudities 2 After this familiar parle, [he] dismissed us to our lodging. 1641 J. Trappe Theol. Theol. Ep. Ded. A v, I..have learned from our Saviours parle with Peter, not (childishly) to strive for the last word. 1814 Cary Dante, Paradise ix. 109 But fully to content Thy wishes..Demands my further parle. a 1850 Rossetti Dante & Circ. i. (1874) 213 There with dames and maids hold pretty parles. |
b. Speech, language, parlance. nonce-wd.
| 1793 Burns Meg o' the Mill iv, A tocher's nae word in a true lover's parle, But, gie me my love, and a fig for the warl! |
2. A conference, discussion, debate; spec. a meeting to discuss terms (between enemies or opposed parties) under a truce; a truce; = parley n.1 2. † to break parle: see break v. 24.
| 1575 Churchyard Chippes (1817) 123 Cloking pretensed mallice vnder a parle and communication of peace. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. xix. 23 A whyte banner should..call the enemies too a Parle. 1592 Kyd Sol. & Pers. iii. iv, Drum, sound a parle to the Citizens. 1602 Shakes. Ham. i. i. 62 When in an angry parle He smot the sledded Pollax on the Ice. 1650 T. Hubbert Pill Formality 204 There is no cessation of Assaults, no parle to be admitted. 1671 Milton Samson 785 Let weakness then with weakness come to parl. 1702 Rowe Tamerl. i. ii. 618. 1807 J. Barlow Columb. v. 284 When sudden parle suspended all the field. 1868 Whittier Dole of Jarl Thorkell 50 ‘So be it!’ cried the young men, ‘There needs nor doubt nor parle.’ |
3. Comb. parle-hill = parley-hill (parley n.1 3).
| 1664 Spelman's Gloss., Parle hill, Collis..ubi convenire olim solebant Centuriæ, aut viciniæ incolæ ad lites inter se tractandas & terminandas. |
▪ II. † parle, v. Obs. or arch. and dial.
(pɑːl)
Also 6–7 parl.
[a. F. parle-r to speak = Pr. parlar, Sp. parlar, It. parlare, med.L. parlāre, late pop. L. parabolāre to discourse, talk, f. parabola parable, discourse, speech.]
1. intr. To speak; to talk in conference.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xviii. 268 Patriarkes and prophetes han parled her-of longe, Þat such a lorde & a lyȝ te shulde lede hem alle hennes. 1573 G. Harvey Letter-bk. (Camden) 31, I wuld be loth to have sutch an orator to parl for me in a weitier matter. 1582 Stanyhurst æneis i. (Arb.) 36 Brieflye then heere Dido, with downe cast phisnomye, parled. Ibid. iv. 106 At length thus briefly dyd he parle. 1641 J. Trappe Theol. Theol. iii. 43 His delights were with the sonnes of men..with whom he parled in Paradise. 1706 E. Baynard in Sir J. Floyer Hot & Cold Bath. ii. 229 He parled with them, and told them, that if any Body came in, he would certainly Drown 'em. |
2. intr. To treat, discuss terms, parley (with an opponent); to hold a parley.
| 1558 in 9th Rep. Dep. Kpr. Irel. 84 Commission to Sir Henry Radclif..to parle with, take pledges from..the Irish of the said counties. 1587 in Hakluyt's Voy. (1600) III. 816 They..within 5 or 6 houres fight set out a flagge of truce and parled for mercy. 1643 Trapp Comm. Gen. iii. 1 When the Spaniard comes to parle of peace, then double bolt the door. 1675 J. Easton Narr. (1858) 25 Thay had demanded the Indians' Armes, and went againe to parrell with them. 1709 De Foe Hist. Union in Arnot Hist. Edinb. i. v. (1788) 188 The Jacobite and the presbyterian..parled together. |
b. trans. To treat with, parley with. (Cf. parley v. 2 b.)
| 1635 E. Pagitt Christianogr. ii. vii. (1636) 65 Whilst the Bishop of Rome parleth a faction which receiveth union from himselfe onely. 1838 S. Bellamy Betrayal 94 To throw the gate, already jarring on its mutinous hinge, To the parl'd foe. |
c. To discuss, debate.
| 1631 Heywood 2nd Pt. Maid of West ii. Wks. 1874 II. 360 Where kings affaires are questioned, Or may be parled. |
▪ III. parle
obs. f. parrel.