Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PAR'LEY, v.i. [Fr. parler, It. parlare, Sp. parlar, W. parliaw, to speak; Ir. bearla, language, from bearadh or beirim, to speak, to tell, relate, narrate, to bear, to carry; Goth. bairan, Sax. bæran, to bear, L. fero, or pario. So we have report, from L. porto.]

In a general sense, to speak with another; to discourse; but appropriately, to confer with on some point of mutual concern; to discuss orally; hence, to confer with an enemy to treat with by words; as on an exchange of prisoners, or a cessation of arms, or the subject of peace. – Knolles. Broome.