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.
More proverbs about Communication
- He that sends mouths sends meat. — Supporting dependents obligates one to provide their sustenance.
- The nurse's tongue is privileged to talk. — Medical expertise grants authority to speak truth about patients' conditions without soci…
- Pity, promises, and blame, are always cheap and plentiful. — Sympathy, commitments, and accusations cost nothing, so people offer them freely without…
- Possession is nine points of the law, and they say there are but ten. — Physical control of something provides nearly complete legal claim, leaving little room f…
- He is poor indeed that cannot promise nothing. — Poverty of character stems from inability to offer even modest hope or commitment to othe…
- Be slow to promise, but quick to perform. — Caution in commitment prevents broken trust; swift action in fulfilling pledges builds re…
From our untranslatable words
- 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…