lip wisdom

1 definition found

lip wisdom - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Lip \Lip\ (l[i^]p), n. [OE. lippe, AS. lippa; akin to D. lip, G.
     lippe, lefze, OHG. lefs, Dan. l[ae]be, Sw. l[aum]pp, L.
     labium, labrum. Cf. Labial.]
     1. One of the two fleshy folds which surround the orifice of
        the mouth in man and many other animals. In man the lips
        are organs of speech essential to certain articulations.
        Hence, by a figure they denote the mouth, or all the
        organs of speech, and sometimes speech itself.
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              Thine own lips testify against thee.  --Job xv. 6.
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     2. An edge of an opening; a thin projecting part of anything;
        a kind of short open spout; as, the lip of a vessel.
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     3. The sharp cutting edge on the end of an auger.
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     4. (Bot.)
        (a) One of the two opposite divisions of a labiate
            corolla. (b) The odd and peculiar petal in the
            Orchis family. See Orchidaceous.
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     5. (Zool.) One of the edges of the aperture of a univalve
        shell.
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     6. Impudent or abusive talk; as, don't give me any of your
        lip. [Slang]
  
     Syn: jaw.
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     Lip bit, a pod auger. See Auger.
  
     Lip comfort, comfort that is given with words only.
  
     Lip comforter, one who comforts with words only.
  
     Lip labor, unfelt or insincere speech; hypocrisy. --Bale.
  
     Lip reading, the catching of the words or meaning of one
        speaking by watching the motion of his lips without
        hearing his voice. --Carpenter.
  
     Lip salve, a salve for sore lips.
  
     Lip service, expression by the lips of obedience and
        devotion without the performance of acts suitable to such
        sentiments.
  
     Lip wisdom, wise talk without practice, or unsupported by
        experience.
  
     Lip work.
        (a) Talk.
        (b) Kissing. [Humorous] --B. Jonson.
  
     To make a lip, to drop the under lip in sullenness or
        contempt. --Shak.
  
     To shoot out the lip (Script.), to show contempt by
        protruding the lip.
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