•September 27, 2023•

By Jim Baumann

NP Guest Writer

When in doubt about the origin of an idiom, there are places to go, notably etymonline.com and idiomorigins.org.

I sometimes get lost in these websites because I learn so much every time I dip my toe in.

I decided to look up the birth of “eat crow” for reasons I’ll explain in a bit.

Idiomorigins.com calls it the American version of “eating humble pie.” It’s the act of admitting one’s mistake.

How does a mea culpa translate to eating crow? Crows, as you know, eat rotting flesh. Hence, it is believed crows themselves taste terrible. I wouldn’t know; I’ve  eaten it only in an idiomatic sense. But something like that would be a humiliating experience.

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