Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
to give (someone) lip

to give (someone) lip

8 8.4
Talk back to someone in a rude way
  • phrasal verb
  • Informal
translation icon : hablar con desdén
  • Don't give me no lip, lad, just get in there and hurry up.
  • don't give me any lip

Examples

Synonyms

to insult
vsto give (someone) lip
  • Offensive
543 2.1

To say or do something rude to someone

is similar but often lighter and more playful rather than openly abusive
to spit
vsto give (someone) lip
  • Informal
99 6.3

To say words quickly and angrily to show strong dislike

is like this but commonly implies milder cheekiness rather than strong anger
to talk back
vsto give (someone) lip
  • Informal
46 5.4

Reply rudely to someone in charge like a teacher or boss

is similar but can apply to any person not only authority figures
to mouth off
vsto give (someone) lip
  • Informal
28 8.3

To speak rudely and loudly to a person in charge

is similar but focuses more on cheeky or backtalk than loudness
to sass
vsto give (someone) lip
  • Informal
16 8.4

Answer a person in charge in a rude, cheeky way

is like this but is less tied to addressing authority specifically
to talk trash
vsto give (someone) lip
  • Offensive
5 7.5

Say insulting, bragging words to make someone angry or nervous

is related but focuses on cheeky backtalk, not on provocation or boasting
to cheek
vsto give (someone) lip
  • Informal
3 8.6

To speak rudely to someone

is similar but covers both cheeky and simply disrespectful replies
to lip off
vsto give (someone) lip
  • Informal
1 8.9

Talk back rudely to someone in charge

is like this but is used more broadly for cheeky replies
to give lip
vsto give (someone) lip
  • Informal
9.1

Talk back to someone in a rude way

is the same meaning but is the alternate common phrasing
to give (someone) a piece of one's mind
vsto give (someone) lip
  • Informal
7.5

Tell someone angrily that you are upset with them

is closer but usually milder and more cheeky than outright forceful anger
to speak with venom
vsto give (someone) lip
7.8

Say angry, cruel things about someone

is related but normally shows cheeky disrespect rather than deep spite
to tell someone where to shove it
vsto give (someone) lip
  • Offensive
9.9

Rudely say to someone that you want them to go away

is similar in rudeness but is usually less vulgar and less final

Antonyms

respect
∞ 1.0

Polite actions or words that show you value someone

How Disrespectful

to insult
  • Offensive
543 2.1
to give (someone) lip
  • Informal
8 8.4
to talk back
  • Informal
46 5.4

Surface Forms

give (someone) lip infinitive
giving (someone) lip present participle
gives (someone) lip third person singular
gave (someone) lip past
given (someone) lip past participle

Morphology

give + (someone) + lip

Given the constituent meanings — 'give' (to offer/do toward someone) and 'lip' (impudent or cheeky speech) — the expression is directly compositional: to 'give someone lip' literally means to offer impudent speech to them. This follows a common English pattern (give someone + noun) and would be readily inferable by a B1 learner who knows the listed word senses.

Etymology

Give (someone) lip comes from a simple image: to give someone lip is to use your mouth to answer back, because lip used to mean rude talk or 'cheek'. That's why the phrase means 'to speak disrespectfully'.