Meanings
- Nothing is achieved by empty words or flattery.
Origin
Attested as early as 1639 as faire words butter noe parsnips, alluding to the English habit of buttering foods to make them more palatable. It was found in the 17th century in various forms with the first and last word being different, thus allowing combinations of fine/fair/soft with parsnips/cabbage/fish/connie before becoming standardized in the form fine words doth butter no parsnips.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Dutch praatjes vullen geen gaatjes
- praatjes vullen geen gaatjestalking about doing something does not get it done
Finnish ei suuret sanat suuta halkaise
- ei suuret sanat suuta halkaisetalking about doing something does not get it done
German von schönen Worten kann man sich nichts kaufen
- von schönen Worten kann man sich nichts kaufentalking about doing something does not get it done
Italian le belle parole non danno da mangiare
- le belle parole non danno da mangiaretalking about doing something does not get it done
Norwegian Bokmål det hjelper ikke med snakk
- det hjelper ikke med snakktalking about doing something does not get it done
Polish słowami się nie najesz
- słowami się nie najesztalking about doing something does not get it done
Cite this entry
fine words butter no parsnips. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fine%20words%20butter%20no%20parsnips
“fine words butter no parsnips.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fine%20words%20butter%20no%20parsnips. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fine words butter no parsnips,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fine%20words%20butter%20no%20parsnips.
Source: fine words butter no parsnips on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.