parlay

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)leɪ

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[1]

     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.

See also

• parley