lip-labour
Definition
Noun: "lip-labour" refers to spoken words or promises that are not accompanied by corresponding actions; empty talk or insincere verbal commitment.
Usage Examples
- (The apology was insincere and not followed by action.)
- (The speech contained empty promises without practical measures.)
- (She criticized him for making a verbal commitment he did not fulfill.)
Advanced Usage
"to engage in lip-labour": to speak without intending to act.
- They engaged in lip-labour about environmental reform, but no laws were passed. (They talked about reform but took no action.)
"lip-labour of the tongue": an older or literary phrase emphasizing the emptiness of words.
- His lip-labour of the tongue fooled no one. (His empty words did not deceive anyone.)
Variants and Related Words
Lip service (n): an expression of agreement or support that is not genuine; similar in meaning to lip-labour.
- The company paid lip service to sustainability while continuing harmful practices. (They expressed support insincerely.)
Lip-sync (v): to move the lips in synchronization with recorded speech or song, often implying a lack of genuine effort.
- The performer lip-synced the entire concert. (He mimed the words without singing live.)
Synonyms
- Empty talk: words without substance or action.
- Verbalism: an expression that is formal or empty in meaning.
- Palaver: prolonged and idle discussion.
Related Idioms
All talk and no action: describing someone who makes promises but does nothing.
- He is all talk and no action — his promises are just lip-labour. (He speaks but fails to act.)
Talk is cheap: meaning that saying something is easy, but doing it is harder.
- Talk is cheap; I need to see results, not lip-labour. (Words are worthless without deeds.)