What is eat crow?

Eating crow is an American idiom, referring to being forced to acknowledge a mistake or defeat, especially a humiliating one. It implies having to do something extremely distasteful or contrary to one's beliefs.

Here's a breakdown of key aspects:

  • Meaning: The core meaning involves admitting fault and swallowing your pride. It symbolizes acknowledging you were wrong and accepting the consequences. This is often linked to public displays of being incorrect, making it a particularly bitter pill to swallow. See: https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/admitting%20fault

  • Origin: The origin of the phrase is uncertain, but a popular (though likely apocryphal) folk tale involves a hunter who shoots a crow and brags about it. A passerby then challenges him to eat it. He does, finding it disgusting and admitting his prior boasts were foolish.

  • Humiliation: A central part of "eating crow" is the element of humiliation. It's not simply admitting an error; it's doing so in a way that diminishes one's standing. See: https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/humiliation

  • Figurative Language: The phrase uses the metaphor of eating a crow (a supposedly unpalatable bird) to represent the unpleasantness of admitting wrongdoing and accepting defeat. It's a vivid image to convey this feeling. See: https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/figurative%20language

  • Alternatives: Other idioms with similar meanings include "eating humble pie" and "swallowing your pride." See:https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/swallowing%20your%20pride