- 1小題大作；無謂的折騰、囉嗦
If someone says What a palaver!, they mean a lot of unnecessary fuss — extra talk, extra steps, extra worry — that makes a small thing feel bigger than it is. It is informal, more British than American, and a little old-fashioned in a friendly way: you still hear it about tickets, forms, or getting children out of the door.
If someone says What a palaver!如果有人說What a palaver!, they他們 mean a lot of unnecessary fuss意思是一大堆不必要的麻煩 — extra talk, extra steps, extra worry多的口舌、多的步驟、多的擔心 — that讓一件小事 makes a small thing feel bigger than it is感覺變得比實際大。It它 is informal是非正式的, more British than American比較英式而不是美式, and而且帶著一點友善的過時感 a little old-fashioned in a friendly way: you你 still hear it還是會聽到用在 about tickets, forms, or getting children out of the door票、表格，或是把小孩弄出門這種事上。
Though actually, the word first meant a long talk. Sailors took it from Portuguese palavra, word, and it was used for long meetings, especially on the African coast. That older discussion sense still turns up, and as a verb, to palaver can mean to talk on and on, sometimes to sweet-talk someone.
Though actually不過其實, the word這個字 first meant a long talk最早是指一場很長的談話。Sailors水手 took it from Portuguese palavra, word從葡萄牙文palavra（意思是「話」）借來的, and而且 was used for long meetings被用來指很長的會議, especially on the African coast尤其是在非洲海岸。That older discussion sense那個比較舊的「談話」意思 still turns up還是會出現, and as a verb而當動詞用時, to palaver palaver可以指 can mean to talk on and on一直講個沒完, sometimes to sweet-talk someone有時候是指用花言巧語哄人。
In everyday English now, the fuss-and-bother sense is the one you will hear most.
In everyday English now在現在的日常英文裡, the fuss-and-bother sense「小題大作」這個意思 is the one you will hear most是你最常聽到的。
core核心畫面
組成Originally sailors' slang, from Portuguese palavra, word, from Late Latin parabola, speech or parable. Same old root as parable, parole, and parabola — different journeys.
原始詞典資料8 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，摘錄並精簡格式，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
palavernoun/pəˈlɑː.və(ɹ)/
- 1
A village council meeting.
- 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.
- 2
archaicTalk, especially unnecessary talk; chatter.
- 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.
- 3
Mentally draining activity, either physical or fuss.
- 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.
- 4
A meeting at which there is much talk; a debate; a moot.
- this country and epoch of parliaments and eloquent palavers
- 5
informalDisagreement.
- I have no palaver with him.
- 6
Talk intended to deceive.
palaververb/pəˈlɑː.və(ɹ)/
- 1
To discuss with much talk.
- “Come, come, Captain Bildad; stop palavering,—away!” and with that, Peleg hurried him over the side, and both dropt into the boat.
- “That,” he rejoined, “is a way we Americans have. We cannot stop to palaver. What would become of our manifest destiny?”
- 2
To flatter.
- Dodd never spoke to his officers like a ruffian, nor yet palavered them.
摘錄自 英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary，已精簡格式；依 CC BY-SA 4.0 授權使用，改動後的內容同樣以此授權提供。