clerk n. Official performing various duties for a church.

- council n. Administrative body in a civil parish.

- n. - area having its own church and clergyman.

- (in full civil parish) local government district.

- inhabitants of a parish. [latin parochia from greek oikos dwelling]

- register n. Book recording christenings, marriages, and burials, at a parish church.

n. - equality, equal status or pay.

- parallelism or analogy (parity of reasoning).

- equivalence of one currency with another; being at par. [latin paritas: related to *par]

n. Cake of ginger, oatmeal, treacle, etc. [origin uncertain]

—n. (pl. -s) conference of disputants, esp. To discuss peace terms etc. —v. (-leys, -leyed) (often foll. By with) hold a parley. [french parler: related to *parlance]

n. (brit. Parlour) 1 archaic sitting-room in a private house. 2 esp. Us shop providing specified goods or services (beauty parlour; ice-cream parlour). [anglo-french: related to *parley]

—n. (pl. -ies) 1 humorous exaggerated imitation of an author, literary work, style, etc.

- feeble imitation; travesty. —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 compose a parody of.

- mimic humorously. parodist n. [latin or greek: related to *para-1, *ode]

—n. - temporary or permanent release of a prisoner before the expiry of a sentence, on the promise of good behaviour.

- such a promise. —v. (-ling) put (a prisoner) on parole. [french, = word: related to *parlance]

—n. - mainly tropical bird with a short hooked bill, often vivid plumage, and the ability to mimic the human voice.

- person who mechanically repeats another's words or actions. —v. (-t-) repeat mechanically. [french, diminutive of pierre peter]

n. Unit of stellar distance, equal to about 3.25 light-years. [from *parallax, *second2]

n. - rector.

- vicar; clergyman. [latin: related to *person]