Question of the Day #594

Lip-service to generic anti-racism is no solution.

From the 8th paragraph of this article at Toronto Star.

上記の文で、lip-serviceの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "lip service" mean?

答えは、コメントに書いてください。
Write your answer in the Comments.

明日、ここに答えを書きます。
I will add the answer and other remarks here tomorrow.

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解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

リップサービス◆実行・実践を伴わない、口先だけの同意・賛成・賛同・好意・意見・主張

なお、英辞郎には「〈性俗〉フェラチオ」という訳もありますが、これは和製英語であって実際にはほとんどこのように使用されません。性俗の定義はなくはないが、Urban Dictionaryが唯一の出典で"oral sex, especially cunnilingus"という定義になります。

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

an avowal of advocacy, adherence, or allegiance expressed in words but not backed by deeds —usually used with pay

Examples

• She paid lip service to blue-collar workers, but she did nothing to help them.
• So far all we've gotten from him is lip service.
• A lot of adults pay lip service to the idea that it is important to listen to teenagers' ideas, but they tend to listen and then forget.
• Is this a real promise, or is this just lip service?
• In March and April, the need for mask use and physical distancing were given lip service in the White House even as the president and his top aides modeled bad behavior, ignoring recommendations from the public health community. — Fortune, "We could tackle COVID under an effective leader. Trump is not that leader," 2 Nov. 2020

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