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Merriam-Webster's Dictionary and Thesaurus - Merriam-Webster [995]

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esp. by tremor and weakness of resting muscles and by a shuffling gait

Parkinson's Law noun : an observation in office organization: work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion

park·way noun : a broad landscaped thoroughfare

par·lance noun 1 : SPEECH

2 : manner of speaking

1parlay verb : to increase or change into something of much greater value

2parlay noun : a series of bets in which the original stake plus its winnings are risked on successive wagers

1parley verb : to speak with another : CONFER

2parley noun, plural parleys : a conference usu. over matters in dispute

Synonyms

argument, colloquy, conference, deliberation, discourse, discussion, give-and-take, talk—more at DISCUSSION

par·lia·ment noun [ORIGIN: ME, fr. AF parlement, fr. parler to speak, fr. ML parabolare, fr. LL parabola speech, parable]

1 : a formal governmental conference

2 cap : an assembly that constitutes the supreme legislative body of a country (as the United Kingdom)

— par·lia·men·ta·ry adjective

par·lia·men·tar·i·an noun 1 often cap : an adherent of the parliament during the English Civil War

2 : an expert in parliamentary procedure

par·lor noun 1 : a room for conversation or the reception of guests

2 : a place of business

par·lour chiefly British variant of PARLOR

par·lous adjective : full of danger or risk

— par·lous·ly adverb

Synonyms

dangerous, grave, grievous, hazardous, menacing, perilous, risky, serious, unhealthy, unsafe, venturesome—more at DANGEROUS

Par·me·san noun : a hard dry cheese with a sharp flavor

par·mi·gia·na or par·mi·gia·no adjective : made or covered with Parmesan cheese

pa·ro·chi·al adjective 1 : of or relating to a church parish

2 : limited in scope : NARROW, PROVINCIAL

— pa·ro·chi·al·ism noun

Synonyms

insular, little, narrow, petty, provincial, sectarian, small—more at NARROW

parochial school noun : a school maintained by a religious body

1parody noun, plural -dies [ORIGIN: L parodia, fr. Gk parōidia, fr. para- beside + aidein to sing]

1 : a humorous or satirical imitation

2 : a feeble or ridiculous imitation

— parody verb

Synonyms

[1] burlesque, caricature, spoof, takeoff; also lampoon, mockery, satire, travesty; comedy, farce, sketch, slapstick, squib; distortion, exaggeration; imitation, impersonation, mimicking

[2] caricature, farce, joke, mockery, sham, travesty—more at MOCKERY

2parody verb 1 : to compose a parody on

2 : to imitate in the manner of a parody

Synonyms

burlesque, caricature, imitate, mimic, mock, take off, travesty—more at MIMIC

pa·role noun : a conditional release of a prisoner whose sentence has not expired

— parole verb

— pa·rol·ee noun

par·ox·ysm noun 1 : a sudden sharp attack (as of pain or coughing) : CONVULSION

2 : a sudden violent emotion or action

— par·ox·ys·mal adjective

Synonyms

agony, burst, eruption, explosion, fit, flare, flare-up, flash, flush, gale, gush, gust, outburst, spasm, storm—more at OUTBURST

par·quet noun [ORIGIN: F]

1 : a flooring of parquetry

2 : the lower floor of a theater; especially : the forward part of the orchestra

par·que·try noun, plural -tries : fine woodwork inlaid in patterns

par·ri·cide noun 1 : one that murders a parent or a close relative

2 : the act of a parricide

par·rot noun : any of numerous bright-colored tropical birds that have a stout hooked bill

parrot fever noun : PSITTACOSIS

par·ry verb par·ried; par·ry·ing 1 : to ward off a weapon or blow

2 : to evade esp. by an adroit answer

— parry noun

parse verb parsed; pars·ing : to give a grammatical description of a word or a group of words

par·sec noun : a unit of measure for interstellar space equal to 3.26 light-years

par·si·mo·ni·ous adjective : exhibiting or marked by parsimony

— par·si·mo·ni·ous·ly adverb

Synonyms

cheap, close, mean, niggardly, penurious, spare, sparing, stingy, tight, tightfisted, uncharitable—more at STINGY

par·si·mo·ny noun : extreme

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