Definition & Meaning of "lip service"

What is the origin of the idiom "lip service" and when to use it?

The idiom "lip service" originated from the concept of making verbal expressions or statements of support, agreement, or praise without genuine sincerity or intention to follow through. The phrase signifies the act of saying something to appease or please others, without actual commitment or action behind the words. This idiomatic expression is commonly used to describe situations where someone pays verbal tribute or acknowledgment to a cause, idea, or person, but their actions do not align with their professed words.