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Definition of parlay
transitive verb
1 : to bet in a parlay
2a : to exploit successfully He hoped to parlay his basketball skills into a college scholarship.b : to increase or otherwise transform into something of much greater value She parlayed $5,000 and years of hard work into a multimillion-dollar company.
From the M-W Editors
parlay was our Word of the Day on 07/17/2016. Hear the podcast!
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Recent Examples of parlay from the Web
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She's parlayed her section of the internet into a bona fide community, using humor, charm, and her own vulnerability as currency.
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Vick parlayed his foot speed and arm strength into becoming the NFL's No. 1 draft pick in 2001 and a 13-year pro career.
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Besler, Gonzalez, DaMarcus Beasley, Pablo Mastroeni, Jimmy Conrad, Clint Dempsey and Stuart Holden are among those who parlayed Gold Cup success into a World Cup trip.
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Todd parlayed that opportunity into a stellar 2017 season as the Tigers' everyday center fielder.
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Generations of medalists who came after him have also parlayed Cliburn triumph into decades of success at the keyboard.
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Minnesota (6-0) parlayed a dominant third-quarter run into a comfortable 80-66 victory over the San Antonio Stars (0-5) on Sunday night at Xcel Energy Center.
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Bunning, a Hall of Fame pitcher who parlayed his sports fame into a political career as a staunch advocate for conservative causes, has died.
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Donatlan, meanwhile, parlayed his extraordinary athleticism into becoming the first West Aurora athlete to defend a state title.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'parlay'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
If you're the gambling type, you may already know that parlay can also be used as a noun describing a series of bets in which a person places a bet, then puts the original stake of money and all of its winnings on new wagers. But you might not know that parlay represents a modified spelling of the French name for such bets: paroli. You might also be unaware that the original French word is still occasionally used in English with the same meaning as the noun parlay. Be careful not to mix up parlay with the similar word parley, meaning "to discuss terms with an enemy." Although the spellings are very close, parley comes from the Latin word for "speech."
Origin and Etymology of parlay
French paroli, noun, parlay, from Italian dialect, plural of parolo, perhaps from paro equal, from Latin par
parlay
Definition of parlay
: a series of two or more bets so set up in advance that the original stake plus its winnings are risked on the successive wagers; broadly : the fresh risking of an original stake together with its winnings
Recent Examples of parlay from the Web
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As the home unbeaten streak builds toward 13 months, and as Sporting Kansas City parlays that clout into a top spot in the Western Conference, the road outings have told a different story.
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Add a second team, and a typical Sunday three-game parlay crushes the flexibility even more, based on AFC and NFC contract rights deals with CBS and Fox.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'parlay'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of parlay
see 1parlay
PARLAY Defined for English Language Learners
parlay
playDefinition of parlay for English Language Learners
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: to use or develop (something) to get something else that has greater value
Learn More about parlay
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See words that rhyme with parlay Britannica English: Translation of parlay for Arabic speakers
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