Eat crow

Meaning

The idiom "eat crow" means to admit that one was wrong or to swallow one's pride by accepting a defeat or loss graciously. It is often used to express humility or regret after making a mistake.

Usage

• After losing the game, John reluctantly said, "I guess I should eat crow and accept my defeat."
• When her friend suggested that she change her career path, Mary initially resisted but eventually decided to swallow her pride and try something new.
• The manager admitted to making a mistake and asked his team to eat crow by accepting the consequences.
• After being caught lying, Sarah felt embarrassed and had to eat crow by apologizing sincerely.
• The politician who lost the election was forced to eat crow by publicly acknowledging his defeat. The usage of "eat crow" can vary depending on the context. It can be used in a formal or informal setting and may be used to express regret, humility, or acceptance.

Roots and History

The origins of the idiom "eat crow" are unclear, but it is believed to have originated from a Native American tribe in the southeastern United States. The tribe had a tradition of eating crow's feet during the winter months as a source of protein. When their hunting was successful, they would celebrate by eating crow's feet and declaring, "We've eaten crow." Over time, the idiom evolved to mean admitting defeat or swallowing one's pride graciously. It is now commonly used in contemporary language and has become a common expression for expressing humility or regret after making a mistake.

Synonyms in English

• Eat humble pie
• Swallow my pride
• Acknowledge defeat
• Admit error
• Own up to mistakes

Synonyms in other languages

• Spanish: comer humo (to eat humiliatingly)
• French: manger la honte (to eat shame)
• German: schlüpfen (to swallow one's pride)
• Italian: mangiare le pettegolezze (to eat gossip)
• Japanese: 哀れんなら食べる (to eat crow if you feel sorry)

Similar Idioms

• kill two birds with one stone

• like a duck to water

• a little bird told me