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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

PALAVER, n., v. Also palauver, palawver; palaiver. Sc. forms and usages. [ne.Sc. pə′levər]

I. n. 1. A fussy manner of behaving, an excess of punctilio, an ostentatious or finical procedure, a great to-do about nothing, applied to action rather than exclusively to speech as in Eng.Hdg. 1892 J. Lumsden Sheep-Head 199, 238:
Both he and the little boy perished. Much fuss and palaver at the time were made about it in the public prints. . . . Nae mair mystical palavers wi' me, I say.Gsw. 1898 D. Willox Poems 32:
I looked for naething else at least than a grasp o' his haun an' the Mason's grip, thereby recognising me as a brither withoot ony mair palaver.Abd. 1913 D. Scott Hum. Sc. Stories 44:
The awfa palaver he hauds aboot onything — he's jist a rale pooshen!Gsw. 1947 H. W. Pryde First Bk. McFlannels 50:
When Ah dribble, Ah dribble ontae ma tie an' ma vest, an' inside ma collar's the only place for the thing [a table napkin]. Ach, it's nothin' but a palaver onywey.

2. A foolishly ostentatious person, a tedious fuss-pot (Cai., ne.Sc., Per. 1965).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 121:
A niver saw sic a palaiver o' a cheel.Gsw. 1889 A. G. Murdoch Readings I. 70:
She's a fair palaver o' a woman an' never weary bummin' aboot her stootness o' body, an' her want o' breath.

II. v. 1. To behave in a silly or ostentatious way, “show off”, fiddle about. Vbl.n. palaiverin, an ostentatious fuss, an “act” (Sc. 1880 Jam.; Ork., Cai., ne.Sc., Per. 1965); ppl.adj. palaiverin, capering, ostentatious (Ib.).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 121:
He palaivert up an' doon amo' the fouck.Abd. 1886 Northern Figaro (14 Aug.) 10:
He had a lot o' palaiverin', first upo' ae knee an' syne upo' the ither.Hdg. 1903 J. Lumsden Toorle 37:
A giant o' a man like you to cawper an' palawver like a fule at a fair!Abd.¹⁵ 1930:
Sang, ay, he wis a palaverin', playactorin' vratch, aye dancin an diddlin aboot.

2. To waste time, trifle, make a great deal of a small task; freq. of a child delaying his bed-time by insisting on an elaborate bed-time ritual (Sh., Per., wm.Sc. 1965).Lnk. a.1840 Poets Scot. (Wilson 1876) I. 383:
While some palaver'd wi' the bride, To get things to their likin'.Edb. 1915 T. W. Paterson Auld Saws 59:
Palauver nane — mind that! Ye canna spare To skail yer time or chances as ye gang.