parlay

Etymology

Coined circa 1828 as a verb, used as a noun since about 1904. From French parler (“speak”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɑː(ɹ)leɪ/, IPA^(key): /ˈpɑː(ɹ)li/

Verb

parlay (third-person singular simple present parlays, present participle parlaying, simple past and past participle parlayed)

1. (transitive) To carry forward the stake and winnings from a bet onto a subsequent wager.
2. (by extension) To increase.
3. To speak about peace. To have peace talks. See also: pow-wow.
4. (transitive) To convert into something better.
   • April 19 2002, Scott Tobias, AV Club Fightville

     Epperlein and Tucker focus on two featherweight hopefuls: Dustin Poirier, a formidable contender who’s looking to parlay a history of schoolyard violence and street-fighting into a potential career, and Albert Stainback, a more thoughtful yet more erratic and undisciplined fighter whose chief gimmick is entering the ring wearing a hat like the one Malcolm McDowell wore in A Clockwork Orange.

Noun

parlay (plural parlays)

1. Such a bet or series of bets.
2. A negotiation session, especially one negotiating a treaty.
   • 2017 August 27, Brandon Nowalk, “Game Of Thrones slows down for the longest, and best, episode of the season (newbies)”, in The Onion AV Club‎:

     What’s so great about the episode is it takes its time. The first 30 minutes of this 79-minute behemoth—a model for season eight’s reportedly extended run-times—are a single set piece, the big parlay in the Dragon Pit at King’s Landing.

See also

• parley

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish parlar.

Noun

parlay

1. speech, language

Verb

parlay

1. (transitive, intransitive) to speak, converse, talk