parleyvoo

plural parleyvoos · alternative parley-voo · alternative parley-vous · alternative parlez vous · alternative parlez-vous · alternative parlyvoo

1. countableuncountableThe French language, especially as understood by an English person.First known use 18th c.

   Lynch. Let him alone. He's back from Paris […] Zoe. O go on! Give us some parleyvoo.

   1922 February 2, James Joyce, Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company […], →OCLC

2. archaiccountableA French person.First known use 18th c.

   We were hardy British tars who had pity on a poor Parley-voo

   1887, Gilbert and Sullivan, “Ruddigore”, in Delphi Complete Works of Gilbert and Sullivan (Illustrated), published 2017, →ISBN

   1 more example

   [O]ne of these d—d Parlivoos will go farther with some women in a day, than an Englishman in a month—all owing to their impudence; for a common man has as much impudence in France as a man-midwife has in England.

   1789, John Moore, Zeluco, Valancourt, published 2008, page 276

present singular third person parleyvoos · participle present parleyvooing · participle past parleyvooed · past parleyvooed · alternative parley-voo · alternative parley-vous · alternative parlez vous · alternative parlez-vous · alternative parlyvoo

1. datedhumorousintransitiveTo speak a foreign language, especially French.