parleyvoo
Britishverb
noun
-
the French language
-
a Frenchman
Etymology
Origin of parleyvoo
C20: jocular respelling of parlez-vous ( français ) ? do you speak (French)?
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
You won't blow the gab?—that's why you couldn't have your parleyvoo this morning.
From Australia Felix by Richardson, Henry Handel
"She kem at once," said Tagg, "an' they began to parleyvoo as quick as you like—" "They spoke French?" broke in Irene, with a sidelong glance at Dick.
From The Wheel O' Fortune by Tracy, Louis
Well, it's been nice to stop and parleyvoo a second.
From Babbitt by Lewis, Sinclair
The colonel was a very singular old fellow; he used to learn a page of Chambaud's grammar, and to translate Telemaque, every morning, and he kept six French masters to teach him to parleyvoo.
From Miscellaneous Writings and Speeches — Volume 1 by Macaulay, Thomas Babington Macaulay, Baron
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
