What does “du bout des lèvres” mean in French?

“Du bout des lèvres” describes doing something reluctantly and without conviction — a grudging yes, a forced apology, faint praise. The image is precise: you’re using only the very edge of your lips, not speaking from the heart. So when someone agrees “du bout des lèvres,” they technically said yes, but you can tell they don’t mean it — which is what makes the phrase so useful for reading between the lines.

It pairs naturally with verbs of speech: “accepter du bout des lèvres” (to agree grudgingly), “féliciter du bout des lèvres” (to congratulate without warmth). The expression dates back to at least 1611. The logic is a contrast between the “bout” (edge, surface) and the depths — speak from the lip’s edge and you barely invest yourself, which is exactly the half-meant tone it captures.