ate crow
Admitted being wrong
Ate crow means accepted humiliation after being proved wrong.
When you've made a bold claim or prediction that fails spectacularly, you eat crow by publicly acknowledging your error: After insisting the project would succeed, he had to eat crow when it collapsed.
The image suggests being forced to swallow something unpleasant—your own wrongness.
- eatConsume for sustenance
- bit the bulletEndured something difficult
- apologyStatement acknowledging wrongdoing
- public apologyOpenly stated remorse
- contritionRemorseful state over misdeeds
fell on one's sword · repentance · accountability · confession · faced the music · shame · humiliation · remorse · made amends · hat in hand · embarrassment · disgrace · tail between legs · humble pie · bitter pill · egg on face · self-reflection · discomfort
ate crowsaved face
Protected one's reputation
crowed · triumphed · gloated · rubbed it in
ate crowstood one's ground
Refused to back down
doubled down · dug in · stood pat · stonewalled · passed the buck
ate crowtook pride
Felt worthy satisfaction
crowed · strutted · preened · boasted · celebrated
ate, crow, eating, eaten, eater, eaters, crows, crowed, crowing