Dictionary

eat one's words en · VERB

Meanings

1. (figuratively) To regret or retract what one has said.
   • Of course, if she [J. K. Rowling] has turned into a first-class writer with her forthcoming Potter book, I will happily, no, joyously, eat my words. 2007 July 17, Nicholas Lezard, “Harry Potter's big con is the prose”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 05 Oct 2014:
   • However, in 1844, saner counsels prevailed, and Edgeley became the principal station—the directors eating their words once more by retaining the older station, which was renamed Heaton Norris. 1957 September 14, M. D. Greville and G. O. Holt, “Railway Development in Manchester—1”, in Railway Magazine, page 618:
   • This time, you have to eat your words, because, like it or not, you lost.
   • He didn't think I could do it, but I proved him wrong and made him eat his words.
   • "Better retract that," she advised, "hadn't you?" "Why should I?" "Because if you're stupid enough to remain in Bombay, I'll make you eat your words one day." 1936, F.J. Thwaites, chapter II, in The Redemption, Sydney: H. John Edwards, page 16:

Forms

Synonyms

recant (retract) · take back · eat crow (regret)

Translations (15)

is taka orð sín aftur (regret something said) · it ritrattarsi (regret something said) · fr se rétracter (regret something said) · nl zijn woorden terugnemen (regret something said) · is éta ofan í sig (regret something said) · mi kairua (regret something said) · is éta í sig (regret something said) · pl odszczekiwać (regret something said) · nl zijn woorden innemen (regret something said) · pl odszczekać (regret something said) · sv äta upp sina egna ord (regret something said) · fi syödä sanansa (regret something said) · fi perua sanansa (regret something said) · da æde sine ord (regret something said) · cmn 承認說錯話 /承认说错话 (regret something said)