parole English · revision 39649

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1646, M. Lluelyn, Men-miracles|origins=grc παραβολή}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * UK: /pəˈɹəʊl/^(Wiktionary)

+ * US: /pəˈɹoʊl/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|parole|t=word, speech; formal promise]],^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(Hoad 1986) in the sense of [[m|fr|parole d’honneur|t=word of honour]];^(Etymonline)^(Dictionary.com 2016)^(Weekley 1921) in Old French the word is recorded from the 12th century,^(OED 2026) and in Anglo-Norman it already meant a promise or verbal oath as well as speech.^(AND) The French word continues [[la-vul|*paraula|t=speech, discourse]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2024)^(Klein 1966)^(Hoad 1986) from [[la-lat|parabola|t=speech, discourse]],^(MWU 2024)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Skeat 1911) in Latin [[m|la|parabola|t=comparison, parable]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) [[der|grc|παραβολή|tr=parabolḗ|t=a comparison, parable; literally, a throwing beside]].^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966)^(Weekley 1921) It is therefore a doublet of [[parable]], [[palaver]] and [[parabola]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Skeat 1911)^(Weekley 1921) The OED compares [[m|fr|prisonnier sur parole]], recorded from 1694 or earlier, and [[m|frm|prisonniers pour la parole]], recorded in 1560, for the use about the release of prisoners.^(OED 2026) The Shorter Oxford records an earlier ''parole'' from the late 15th century, a variant of the legal term [[parol]],^(SOED 2002) and the Oxford Dictionary of English dates the word to the late 15th century.^(ODE 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ ''On parole'', on one's word of honour or by oath, and especially of a prisoner released on his word: 1646, in Martin Lluelyn's ''Men-miracles'' ("Lesse on Parole to get Exchange").^(OED 2026) Barnhart dates the word of honour given by a prisoner of war not to escape to before 1616, Etymonline to the 1610s, and Merriam-Webster gives 1531.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In early use parole was a military matter: the promise of a prisoner of war not to escape, or not to take up arms again if allowed to go home.^(Etymonline)^(OED 2026) The phrase ''parole of honour'' is recorded from 1648.^(OED 2026) Johnson (1755) defined it as a word given as an assurance, a promise given by a prisoner not to go away.^(Johnson 1755) A second military sense, a password used only by officers or inspectors of the guard, is recorded from 1731, in Henry Fielding.^(OED 2026)^(Hoad 1986) The conditional release of a prisoner, now especially before the end of a sentence on condition of good behaviour, is recorded by the OED from 1667,^(OED 2026) while Etymonline and Barnhart date the sense in criminal justice to 1908;^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) Etymonline notes that ''ticket of leave'' was an earlier term for a similar thing.^(Etymonline) The verb first meant to give one's word (1664–1716, now obsolete), and to release a prisoner on parole from 1652, chiefly in the United States.^(OED 2026) Etymonline and Barnhart date the verb to 1716,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) and Merriam-Webster the sense "to release on parole" to 1776.^(MWU 2024) In linguistics, ''parole'' was taken from Ferdinand de Saussure's French for actual speech as opposed to the language system, ''langue'', and is recorded in English from 1935.^(OED 2026) In 1960s American teenage slang ''parole'' was the end of the school day.^(GDoS)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1531 – Merriam-Webster's first date.^(MWU 2024)

+ * before 1616 – a prisoner of war's word of honour.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1646 – ''on parole'', on one's word of honour.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1648 – ''parole of honour''.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1652 – verb, to release a prisoner on parole.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1667 – conditional release of a prisoner.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1731 – a password used by officers of the guard.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1908 – the release of a convict before the end of a sentence, in Etymonline's and Barnhart's dating.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1935 – (linguistics) speech as actually used, as opposed to ''langue''.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1960 – (US teenage slang) the end of the school day.^(GDoS)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The early [[release]] of a [[prisoner]] before the end of a sentence, on condition of good behaviour and of reporting regularly to the authorities; also, the period of such release: ''He was on parole when he was arrested again.''^(Collins 2023)^(OED 2026)

+ # A promise given by a prisoner, especially a [[prisoner of war]], to keep certain conditions, such as not escaping or not fighting again, in return for release or privileges; [[word of honour]].^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)

+ # (US, military) A [[password]] used by officers or inspectors of the guard.^(Collins 2023)^(OED 2026)

+ # (linguistics) Language as it is actually used by individual speakers, as opposed to the language system, ''[[langue]]''.^(Collins 2023)^(OED 2026)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To release a prisoner on parole.^(MWU 2024)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Relating to parole or to people on parole: ''a parole hearing''.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[parolable]]

+ * [[parolee]]

+ * [[unparoled]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[parable]]

+ * [[palaver]]

+ * [[parabola]]

+ * [[parol]]

+ * [[parley]]

+ * [[parlour]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}