fine words butter no parsnips

fine words butter no parsnips
Nothing is ever achieved by fine words alone. Parsnips are traditionally garnished with butter before serving.

1639 J. CLARKE Parœmiologia Anglo-Latina 169 Faire words butter no parsnips.

1692 R. L’ESTRANGE Fables of Aesop cccxl. Relations, Friendships, are but Empty Names of Things, and Words Butter No Parsnips.

1763 A. MURPHY Citizen I. ii. What becomes of his Greek and Latin now? Fine words butter no parsnips.

1848 THACKERAY Vanity Fair xix. Who..said that ‘fine words butter no parsnips’? Half the parsnips of society are served and rendered palatable with no other sauce.

1997 C. M. SCHULZ Washington Post 27 Jan. C12 (Peanuts comic strip) [Charlie Brown:] ‘Yes, ma’am, he’s a very smart dog. Thank you for saying so.’ [Snoopy:] ‘Fine words butter no parsnips.’

2001 Spectator 1 Dec. 66 While it may be a truth universally acknowledged that fine words butter no parsnips, I have to say that in my experience parsnips are seldom cooked in butter.


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  • fine words butter no parsnips — ► fine words butter no parsnips proverb nothing is achieved by empty promises or flattery. Main Entry: ↑fine …   English terms dictionary

  • fine words butter no parsnips — This idiom means that it s easy to talk, but talk is not action …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • fine words butter no parsnips —  Encouraging, high sounding, promising, etc., words are not necessarily to be relied on …   A concise dictionary of English slang

  • fine words butter no parsnips —    This idiom means that it s easy to talk, but talk is not action.   (Dorking School Dictionary) …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • Fine words butter no parsnips —   This idiom means that it s easy to talk, but talk is not action …   Dictionary of English idioms

  • fine words butter no parsnips — proverb nothing is achieved by empty promises or flattery …   Useful english dictionary

  • fine — Ⅰ. fine [1] ► ADJECTIVE 1) of very high quality. 2) satisfactory. 3) in good health and feeling well. 4) (of the weather) bright and clear. 5) (of a thread, filament, or hair) thin. 6) of delicate or intricate w …   English terms dictionary

  • butter — noun see the same fire that melts the butter hardens the egg there are more ways of killing a dog than choking it with butter verb see fine words butter no parsnips the bread never falls but on its buttered side …   Proverbs new dictionary

  • fine — see fine feathers make fine birds fine words butter no parsnips rain before seven, fine before eleven …   Proverbs new dictionary

  • fineable — Ⅰ. fine [1] ► ADJECTIVE 1) of very high quality. 2) satisfactory. 3) in good health and feeling well. 4) (of the weather) bright and clear. 5) (of a thread, filament, or hair) thin. 6) of delicate or intricate w …   English terms dictionary

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