pally

comparative pallier · comparative more pally · superlative palliest · superlative most pally

1. Like a pal; friendly.

   Words are the friendliest and palliest things I know.

   1942, Seán O'Faoláin, Peadar O'Donnell, The Bell, volume 5, page 157

   5 more examples

   The O′Briens are the palliest of pals with the Prince of Wales and when HRH is in Biarritz he and Jay are inseparable.

   1929, Basil Woon, From Deauville to Monte Carlo, page 157

   […]he was a champion boozer and the palliest bloke in the pub.

   1987, Alan Sillitoe, Every Day of the Week: An Alan Sillitoe Reader, page 30

   2006, Vidar Helgesen, Erik Solheim, The Straight Talkers, Harriet Martin (editor), Kofi Atta Annan (foreword), Kings of Peace, Pawns of War: The Untold Story of Peace-Making, page 112, And with each round the two negotiating teams got more and more pally. ‘By the sixth round we were having Jacuzzis together!’

   When there were Australian officers everyone was more pally and sociable which made it easier for the lady in charge to entertain the party.

   2010, Donald Munro, Diaries of a Stretcher-Bearer 1916-1918, page 100

   The chap I′m most pally with is Fright who is nearly sixty now but still climbs like a youngster.

   2011, David Rowley, Erections in the Far East, page 19

plural pallies

1. USAn affectionate term of address.

   ‘Sit here, pally.’ He pushed me down.

   1940, Raymond Chandler, Farewell, My Lovely, Penguin, published 2010, page 164

   3 more examples

   Well, a lot of water has flown under the bridges since then, pally, and while I have been laying off lately, I′m still the same old Joey, which is more than I can say for that O′Hara creep.

   1951, Cue: The Weekly Magazine of New York Life, page M-77

   Ahmed the Turk grinned. “You call this hot, chommy? Pally, we used to take slices off the heat, put them on our biscuits and make toast.”

   1968, Alex La Guma, Tattoo Marks and Nails: A Walk in the Night: And Other Stories, page 95

   As the Giants moved West, most accepted Horace Stoneham′s apologia: “I can′t stay where I am, pally. If I don′t move the team I go bankrupt. Except for Chub [Feeney], all my relatives would starve.”

   1993, Roger Kahn, The Era: 1947-1957, When the Yankees, the Giants, and the Dodgers Ruled the World, page 342

2. AustraliaUSA slightly derogatory and insulting term of address.

   What do you think you are doing, pally?

plural pallies

1. slangfantasy roleplaying gamesA paladin.

   Synonyms: pala

plural Pallies · alternative Pali

1. colloquialderogatoryoffensiveA Palestinian.