| Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993. |
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| parlay, parley (nn., vv.) |
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| Parlay is a betting term: the verb (pronounced PAHR-lai, PAHR-lee, or pahr-LAI) means specifically “to bet the winnings from one race on the next, and so on”; its generalized sense is “to exploit whatever you have into something much more valuable,” as in She parlayed a simple invention and her own promotional skills into a multinational corporation. The noun parlay (stress on first syllable) is “such a string of bets” or, more generally, “the idea of continually rebetting winnings in a series of bets.” The verb parley (pronounced PAHR-lee) means “to confer with an enemy, to negotiate or discuss,” and the noun is “such a conference or discussion, especially to arrange a truce or an exchange of prisoners.” | 1 |
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| | | The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. Copyright © 1993 Columbia University Press. |
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