parleys

Webster's Dictionary (1913)

“parleys” is listed under Parley.

Origin: F. parler speech, talk, fr. parler to speak, LL. parabolare, fr. L. parabola a comparison, parable, in LL., a word. See Parable, and cf. Parliament, Parlor.

Mutual discourse or conversation; discussion; hence, an oral conference with an enemy, as with regard to a truce.

We yield on parley, but are stormed in vain.— John Dryden

To beat a parley Military, to beat a drum, or sound a trumpet, as a signal for holding a conference with the enemy.

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54