ProverbCommunicationEnglish origin

Mouth civility costs little but is worth less.

Meaning: Polite words without sincere intent or action provide mere surface comfort, offering no real value.

Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.

Explore another collection: Untranslatable Words

Words that capture a feeling or idea English needs a whole sentence for.

  • Vabba To stay home from work on paid leave to look after a sick child.
  • Blunda To close your eyes on purpose — and, by extension, to knowingly refuse to see something.
  • Fredagsmys The Friday-night ritual of soft clothes, snacks and television with the people you live w…

Browse all untranslatable words →

Keep exploring

Explore all proverbs →